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Obverse Design
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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 "* FORT KOBBE *" where the astericks are
little five point stars. 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; "8751A" 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.
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Reverse Design
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Blank.
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Color
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Green with black ink; serial number in red ink.
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Material
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Light-weight cardboard.
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Size and Shape
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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).
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Dates Issued
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Probably sometime between 1943 and 1963.
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Issurer
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Fort Kobbe, on the west bank of the canal near the Pacific entrance
and next to Howard AFB.
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Mintage
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Unknown.
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Rarity
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Very Rare.
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Manufacturer
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Probably the Kelsey Coupon Company of Cincinatti, Ohio.
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Source
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Plumer's Catalog number: Kobbe #5-G, Hill's Catalog.
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Varieties
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There are three known 5 Cent varieties, all using Kelsey Type 1 design but in
different colors.
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Function
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Mess (cafeteria) chit.
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Notes
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For population count, known specimens are as follows:
- Plumer Specimen #8751A cancelled "CA", pictured above.
- Hill Specimen (not pictured, number unknown).
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