BEP Intaglio Prints Commemorate Panama Canal Opening Celebration

On Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) opened up its 2015 Intaglio Print Subscription, "Panama Canal Commemorative Program."

Prints of the program commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening celebration for the Panama Canal, a narrow land bridge between North and South America which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

"This collection features an exquisite compilation of unique engraved vignettes from the 1915 California State and World’s Fairs," describes the BEP. "Also featured in this collection are the Panama-Pacific Exposition Issue postage stamps."

The near 50-mile-long canal officially opened on Aug. 15, 1914. The Panama-California Exposition celebrated the event. It was held in San Diego, California, between January 1, 1915, and January 1, 1917. San Diego has the distinction as the first American port of call for ships traveling north after passing westward through the canal.

Using the BEP’s subscription program, the collection of three intaglio prints may be ordered for $99.00, marking a savings of $21.00 off the cost of buying them individually. Collectors have until Jan. 26, 2015 to subscribe and ensure the receipt of all three prints automatically. (Last year’s program celebrated the five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Each sold out.)

Panama Canal Commemorative Intaglio Prints will also go on sale individually for $40. Themes and release dates for them include:

• The "Eagle" print feature a compilation of images, to include an eagle, representative of the 1915 World’s Fair in San Francisco and the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in San Diego. Its first day of sale is Jan. 8, 2015.

• The "U.S.S. San Diego" prints features a full-length image of the ship. The prints first day of sale is Mar. 24, 2015.

• A reproduction of the "100th Anniversary Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) Certificate" which the BEP originally produced for award winning exhibits at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (World’s Fair) in 1915. Its first day of sale is June 9, 2015.

Each measures 8 1/2" x 11" and will ship after its first day of sale.

The BEP is accepting 2015 Intaglio Print Subscription orders at its website at www.moneyfactorystore.gov.

About the Bureau of Engraving and Printing

While the BEP makes and sells detailed intaglio prints and engravings, it is best known for producing United States currency. The bureau prints billions of Federal Reserve Notes each year for delivery to the Federal Reserve Banks. These notes are produced at facilities in Washington, D.C., and Fort Worth, Texas.