United States 1913-15 Panama-Pacific Exposition Issue

United States · 1913 · 1¢, 2¢, 5¢, 10¢

This commemorative set was issued to celebrate the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, which marked the opening of the Panama Canal. The designs feature historical figures and scenes related to the canal's discovery and construction: the 1¢ shows Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the 2¢ depicts the Pedro Miguel Locks, the 5¢ shows the Golden Gate, and the 10¢ features the discovery of San Francisco Bay.

The opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 was a monumental engineering achievement that drastically shortened maritime trade routes. The Panama-Pacific Exposition celebrated this feat and showcased San Francisco's recovery from the 1906 earthquake.