N2806

Celebrate the Century - 1910s

Panama Canal Opens, 1914

Summer 2025 Mail Sale Commentary 

Lot 28 N2806 — The Panama Canal from Celebrate the Century 1910s — 2/3/98

The Celebrate the Century covers continued into the next decade, and the stamp on this first day cover shows a ship in the canal locks. The stamp itself commemorates the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. The famous water passage significantly impacted global trade and naval power by providing a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, saving a ship traveling between New York and San Francisco almost 8,000 miles.

My cachet is an aerial map view of the area through which the Panama Canal was built. It was an amazing accomplishment as its construction was one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken. Adding color to the tropical flavor is a vivid parrot, a curious Panamanian white-faced capuchin monkey, jungle butterflies, and climbing orchids. It's a visual delight from south of the border.