Are Panamanian stamps public domain?

It depends on the designer and the date. In the archive's reading, Panamanian stamps with no named designer are public domain in 2026 if issued in 1955 or earlier, since anonymous works are protected for 70 years from publication. A stamp with a named designer depends on when the designer died.

How long does copyright last on a Panamanian stamp with a named designer?

Seventy years after the designer's death, under Panama's copyright law of 2012. A designer who died before the 1994 law took effect keeps the 80-year term of the Administrative Code of 1917 instead. As a result, Panamanian works by authors who died after 1945 are still protected.

Are stamps from Panama under Colombian rule public domain?

Which law applies is an open question. Panama used overprinted Colombian stamps from 1878 and seceded from Colombia in 1903, and Commons does not say which country's law covers the earlier issues. In the archive's reading, an anonymous stamp of that age is past its 70-year term either way.

Panama

Are Panama stamps public domain?

Panamanian stamps with no named designer are public domain in 2026 if issued in 1955 or earlier, in the archive's reading of Wikimedia Commons, which gives anonymous works 70 years from publication. A stamp with a named designer depends on when the designer died: Commons says works by authors who died after 1945 are still protected.

Why 1955?

Panama's Law No. 64 of October 10, 2012 does not exclude stamps from protection. It protects a work for 70 years after the death of its author, or 70 years from publication when the work is anonymous or pseudonymous, counted from January 1 of the following year.¹ Authors who died before Law 15 of August 8, 1994 took effect keep the 80-year term of the Administrative Code of 1917, which is why Commons says works by authors who died after 1945 are still protected.¹ For a stamp with no named designer the archive counts 70 years from issue, so a stamp of 1955 became free on January 1, 2026, and the line moves forward each January.

Postal history and copyright

Panama broke away from Spain in 1821 and joined Gran Colombia, then the Republic of Colombia, before seceding in 1903.¹ As a Colombian department it used overprinted Colombian stamps from 1878. Overprinted sets stayed in use until 1905, and the first stamps printed for the Panamanian postal administration, inscribed República de Panamá, appeared in 1906.² Commons' note on stamps names only Panamanian law and does not say which country's law covers the issues made before 1903, so that question is open. In the archive's reading, an anonymous stamp of that age is past its 70-year term either way.

References 2

↑ Copyright rules for Panama. Wikimedia Commons, February 20, 2023. Accessed October 8, 2026.
↑ Postage stamps and postal history of Panama. Wikipedia, January 2, 2026. Accessed October 8, 2026.

Copyright law in Panama

Panama’s own stamps follow the rule below. The historical issuers named here are read under the country’s general copyright law. A design answers Likely yes or Likely no only when every term that could apply agrees, and Unclear when they disagree.

Named designer: 70 years after the designer’s death
Anonymous: 70 years from issue
Note: A designer who died before the 1994 law took effect keeps the 80-year term of the 1917 Administrative Code. The 1994 law gave 50 years until the 2012 law.

Historical issuers read under this law: Granadine Confederation, New Granada.

Read from Wikimedia Commons, copyright rules for Panama, revision 734095493, checked October 8, 2026

The rule by period

PeriodRule

Any datePublic domain 70 years after the end of the year of issue when the stamp is anonymous; with a named designer, protected until 70 years after the death of the last designer or engraver, or 80 years for a designer who died before 1995.An anonymous stamp becomes free 70 years after the end of its year of issue; with a named designer, 70 years after the designer's death, or 80 if the designer died before 1994.

Panama stamps and the public domain: questions

Are Panamanian stamps public domain?: It depends on the designer and the date. In the archive's reading, Panamanian stamps with no named designer are public domain in 2026 if issued in 1955 or earlier, since anonymous works are protected for 70 years from publication. A stamp with a named designer depends on when the designer died.
How long does copyright last on a Panamanian stamp with a named designer?: Seventy years after the designer's death, under Panama's copyright law of 2012. A designer who died before the 1994 law took effect keeps the 80-year term of the Administrative Code of 1917 instead. As a result, Panamanian works by authors who died after 1945 are still protected.
Are stamps from Panama under Colombian rule public domain?: Which law applies is an open question. Panama used overprinted Colombian stamps from 1878 and seceded from Colombia in 1903, and Commons does not say which country's law covers the earlier issues. In the archive's reading, an anonymous stamp of that age is past its 70-year term either way.