CT-60.00 (Fort Amador, Officers' Club, No Series Book)
Obverse Design
Book cover has a large rectangle with a double line border. The outer line is
about three times as thick as the inner line. Within the rectangle in the
upper left corner it says "THE COUPONS IN THIS BOOK ARE" on one line
and "REDEEMABLE IN MERCHANDISE AT" on a line under it. In the upper right
corner it says "$1.00" in a large font size which is the total face value
of all the chits in the book.
Under these areas in a large font size it says "OFFICERS' CLUB".
The next line in a smaller font size says "FORT AMADOR, C. Z.".
Next starting at the left is a line which says "Countersigned by" and has
a line for this signature. The next line says "Issued to" and a line
where the recipient could write their name.
Under that the next line says "Date" and has a line for the date which goes
about three-fourth of the way across the book.
Under the date line in smaller print it
says "Not Transferable - Not Good If Detached".
In a larger font size in the lower right corner it says
the serial number of the book; "1766" in the example above.
This serial number is repeated on all the chits inside the book.
Outside the rectangle along the left written sideways and going from the
bottom to the top of the book it says
"ESTRELLA DE PANAMA - 12961 - 3-1943" in small print. The "1943" may be a reference
to the year the book was printed. Perhaps the "3" refers to March.
Other Details
This book had five chits on each page. Chits are known only in the denomination
of 5 cents, and four pages of this denomination would total $1.00.
Color
Gray with black ink.
Material
Light-weight cardboard.
Size and Shape
Rectangular, approximately 140mm wide by 50 mm high.
Dates Issued
1943 is referenced on the book cover, and apparently is the date of issue.
Issurer
Fort Amador, on the Pacific side of Panama, out on a peninsula in the Bay of Panama.
Mintage
Unknown.
Rarity
Very Rare.
Manufacturer
Estrella de Panama which means "Star of Panama",
and refers to a major bilingual newspaper published in Panama City in the
Republic of Panama.
Source
Plumer collection.
Varieties
This is the only known variety.
Function
Book of club chits, redeemable for merchandise.
Notes
For population count, known specimens are as follows:
Plumer Specimen #1766, pictured above.
Balboa Dumps before 1913, future site of Fort Amador
3½x5½
From Views of the Panama Canal, published by F.W. Hyman 1913.
Photos by Underwood and Underwood.
