This is a very rare license plate from the Panama Canal Zone. In 1979, a treaty was being negotiated between the USA and Panama over the transfer of the Canal to the country of Panama. Kenneth Manthorne (now deceased) was in charge of the license section of the Canal Zone from 1966 until 1979, the year in which the Carter-Torrijos Treaty went into effect. The treaty ended the civilian government in the Canal Zone on October 1, 1979. The C-T treaty was quite explicit as far as who would handle the registration of the motor vehicle after the handover, but unknown officials asked Mr. Manthorne to prepare a small run of CANAL ZONE license plates just in case things didn't work out as planned. (Cooperation between U.S. and Panamian officials was not the best.) Military personnel who operated vehicles purchased with non-appropriated funds (NAF) were most worried. Mr. Manthorne ordered a small run of about 200 1980 Canal Zone plates from a factory in the Arraijan province of Panama. Ken Manthorne said that the "A" was not intended to stand for anything, but many employees who worked on the canal said the " A " was for Administration. The 1980 "A" series was not needed. The changeover went smoothly. The 1980 plates were turned over to section "I" of the Panama Canal Commission and sold as scrap. A few members of the Panama Canal Society remember seeing the 1980 "A" series plates on vehicles in Panama in 1980 and after, so clearly some of them did find their way out of the scrap pile and back to the streets and were used out of a sense of nostalgia or mischief.

This plate is rather rare and I have seen only a few for sale. Most are in poor condition. They generally sell at prices exceeding $200. This plate is in remarkably good condition. There are light marks on the upper two holes indicating that this plate was mounted at one time. The reverse side of the plate has the word " Administration " neatly printed in the plate depression for the letter " A ". This is clearly a valuable and unusual collectible from the Panama Canal Zone.