Panama Pacific Postal History

As a new member here I am seeking discussion with others who collect the USA Pan Pacific (1913 onward)issue. I specialise in postal history and find it very interesting - partly because it covered the war period.

I've seen an increase in interest in these issues over the past few years ... and a related increase in price. It's a shame I didn't have the foresight to purchase high quality mint copies previously ... they're gunna cost me so much more now that I'm trying to acquire all mint 20th century

I am trying to complete the San Francisco Panama Pacific machine cancels.

On cover or SoN calcels?

On cover, mostly cards.

Yes they are increasing in price..... but not going to compete with the earlier issues yet. I collect on cover and do usages rather than the cancels or the exposition.

Are there really 30 different machine types Russ?

The Panama Pacific Expo slogan cancels are SF15 series from Internation canceling machines. I collect only SF15-09 from San Francisco. There are about 30 SF15 cancels. I will try to come up with a list. From Sanfrancisco there were 10 types and 20 sub-types.

Panama Pacific Expo slogan cancels were issued by several cities including
Alemeda, CA (SF15-10)
Los Angeles, CA (SF15-13 & SF15-25)
Tacoma, WA (SF15-19)
Seattle, WA (SF15-18)
Portland, OR (SF15-16)
Long Beach, CA (SF15-26)
Oakland, CA (SF15-15)
Berkeley, CA (SF15-23)
Sacramento, CA (SF15-21)
San Jose, CA (SF15-24)
Edit: forgot Bakersfield, CA (SF15-22)

Thanks for your help Russ. I had no idea that so many cities issued advertising cancels. Was San Diego one too? I have tracked down model post office cancels on the flag and also the oval registry cancel. They are hard to find.

Bill Bomar classified the Panama Pacific Expo cancels as SF15 with 27 main classes. Many of the classes have varieties (SF15-09 has 30 varieties).


SF15-01 was a Duplex handstamp from the model post office at the expo.


SF15-02 was a machine cancel from the model post office at the expo.


SF15-03 was a machine cancel from the model post office at the expo. This example is triple struck but it is the only image I have been able to find of this rare cancel.

SF15-04 was a flag machine cancel from the model post office at the expo.


SF15-05 was a hand stamp cancel from the model post office at the expo.

SF15-06 was a hand stamp receiving cancel from the model post office at the expo.


SF15-07 was a hand stamp receiving cancel from the model post office at the expo.

Edit: If there is any interest I will post more examples.

Russ I am very grateful to you for sharing your lovely cancels. I have not see the stars and stripes in the flag cancel with model post office on the 10c before. I have the 10c with the standard as per your 2c example. Any more examples would be most welcome. Thank you.
Lloyd.

Lloyd, the SF15-04 is one of the rarer cancels with the SF15-02 being the most common model PO cancel.


SF15-10 Alameda, CA


SF15-14 Pasadena, CA


SF15-15 Oakland, CA

SF15-18 Seattle, WA


SF15-19 Tacoma, WA


SF15-22 Bakersfield, CA