Obverse Design

Kelsey Type 1 design: two rectangles are side by side, not quite centered in the chit. The left rectangle is about 30 mm wide, and the right rectangle is about 10 mm wide. The rectangles are about 19 mm high. In the left rectangle, the top line says "N.C.O. OPEN MESS". The next line is "FT. WM. D. DAVIS". The next line says "CANAL ZONE". On the bottom left under these lines in small italic letters in three lines it says "NOT GOOD", "IF", "DETACHED". On the bottom right is the serial number; "4376G" in the example above.

The right rectangle has a smaller rectangle just inside it. It has a large "5" filling up most of the rectangle. Underneath the denomination it says "CENTS" in a block with reversed colors (the block is dark ink, and the letters are the same color as the field of the chit).

The example above was cancelled.

Reverse Design Blank.
Color Pink with black ink; serial number in red ink. Material Light-weight cardboard. Size and Shape Rectangular, 51mm wide by approximately 23 mm high. Top edge is perforated, bottom edge is usually perforated but may be straight (as in the example above).
Dates Issued Probably sometime after 1963. Included in Hill's catalog in 1969.
Issurer Fort William D. Davis, on the Atlantic side of Panama.
Mintage Unknown.
Rarity Very Rare. Manufacturer Probably Kelsey-Tiemeyer Coupon of Cincinatti, Ohio. Source Plumer's Catalog number: Davis #5-P, Hill's Catalog.
Varieties There are two known 5 Cent varieties, both using Kelsey Type 1 design but in different colors.
Function Mess (cafeteria) chit.
Notes For population count, known specimens are as follows:
  1. Plumer Specimen #4376G cancelled "CA", pictured above.
  2. Hill Specimen (not pictured, number unknown).