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Obverse Design
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Metal check has four lines of legends written horizontally and left-justified
near the left end of the check. The first line is starts above the small hole
and says "G.E. VRADENBURG.".
The second line starts to the right of the small hole and says "F.A.B."
(an abbreviation for Fleet Air Base).
The third line starts to the right of the small hole and says "COCO SOLO.".
The fourth or bottom line starts under the small hole and says "CANAL ZONE.".
On the right end of the check, written perpendicular to the other legends
is the legend "A & R".
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Reverse Design
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Blank.
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Metal
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Brass
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Size and Shape
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About rectangular, 76 mm wide and 26 mm high. Small round hole on the left
side of the obverse.
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Dates Issued
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Sometime between 1931 and 1939.
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Issuer
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Coco Solo Fleet Air Base.
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Numbers Issued
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Not numbered.
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Rarity
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Very Rare.
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Manufacturer
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Unknown.
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Other Catalog Numbers
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Rulau CZ 8.
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Varieties
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None known.
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Function
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Unknown. This may have been a tool check. The "G.E. VRADENBURG" apparently is the name
of an employee. I am not sure what the "A & R" abbreviation meant.
I would appreciate
e-mail from anyone who can add anything to the history of this piece.
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Population Count
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Only one specimen in collector hands is known to me.
I do not know of any recent sales.
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Notes
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Coco Solo in the Panama Canal Zone was established in July 1917. It commissioned as NAS
(Naval Air Station) on 6 May 1918 for patrol operations by seaplane and LTA.
The site placed in reserve in 1922, but became a FAB (Fleet Air Base) on 1 July 1931.
Then in 30 September 1939 it was redesignated an NAS (Naval Air Station). Following active use
during World War II operations ceased on 15 February 1950 and final disestablishment came
on 1 July 1950.
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