Obverse Design All lettering is incused. Line along the left edge "ENGINEERING &". Line along the right edge "CONSTRUCTION". Line along the bottom edge "DEPARTMENT". In the middle in larger letters are two lines. The first line is "I.C.C.". The second line is the employee number ("1205" in the example above). The third line says "DEPARTMENT".
Reverse Design Blank.
Metal Brass Size and Shape Triangle shape with rounded corners. 48 mm wide by 33 mm high. One small round hole in the top.
Dates Issued Unknown. These may have been id checks locally made and issued before the Diamond shaped Isthmian Canal Commission checks (which were issued starting in August 1905), or they may have been tool checks issued anytime between 1904 and 1914.
Issurer Isthmian Canal Commission, Engineering and Construction Department.
Numbers Issued Pieces include #720 and #1205.
Rarity Very Rare. Manufacturer Unknown, but perhaps locally made. Other Catalog Numbers Hamlin's ICC-41, Rulau's CZ B74.
Varieties None known.
Function

These may have been early employee id checks, before the general issuing of metal checks in August, 1905. They may also have been tool checks, or even used to track other equipment. I would appreciate e-mail from anyone who can add anything to the history of these metal checks.

Population Count Two specimens of this variety of metal check in collector hands are known to me. Recent sales include:
  • Check #1250 - Auction sale on ebay on February 6, 2007 for $252.49 in VF condition.