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California - Duck Hunting (1971-Present)

Series Detail w/Pictures - - -Pictures Only

California - Duck Hunting (1971-Present)
ID Face Year Expires Subject[Artist] CatVal Mint CatVal Used Purchase Info Mint
CA-1 $1.00 1971 Jun 30, 1972 Pintails [Paul B. Johnson] 550.00 75.00 $330.00 (limited)
CA-2 $1.00 1972 Jun 30, 1973 Canvasbacks [Paul B. Johnson] 1995.00 150.00 ---
CA-3 $1.00 1973 Jun 30, 1974 Mallards [Paul B. Johnson] 14.00 3.00 $5.50 (in stock)
CA-4 $1.00 1974 Jun 30, 1975 White-front Geese [Paul B. Johnson] 3.00 2.00 $2.50 (in stock)
CA-5 $1.00 1975 Jun 30, 1976 Green-winged Teal (red stripe on backing) [Paul B. Johnson] 35.00 7.00 ---
CA-5A $1.00 1975 Jun 30, 1976 Green-winged Teal (plain backing) [Paul B. Johnson] 125.00 7.00 ---
CA-6 $1.00 1976 Jun 30, 1977 Widgeons (red stripe on backing) [Paul B. Johnson] 18.00 5.00 ---
CA-6X $1.00 1976 Jun 30, 1977 Widgeons (red stripe on backing) [Paul B. Johnson] 18.00 5.00 ---
CA-7 $1.00 1977 Jun 30, 1978 Cinnamon Teal [Paul B. Johnson] 40.00 10.00 $19.25 (in stock)
CA-7A $5.00 1977-8 Jun 30, 1978 Cinnamon Teal (Revalued late in the season, only valid 1978) [Paul B. Johnson] 9.00 ---- $5.50 (in stock)
CA-8 $5.00 1978 Jun 30, 1979 Hooded Mergansers [Ken Michaelson] 125.00 15.00 $66.00 (limited)
CA-9 $5.00 1979 1979-80 Wood Ducks [Walter Wolfe] 9.00 3.00 $4.50 (in stock)
CA-10 $5.00 1980 1980-81 Pintails [Walter Wolfe] 9.00 3.00 $4.50 (in stock)
CA-11 $5.00 1981 1981-82 Canvasbacks [Robert Steiner] 9.00 3.00 $5.50 (in stock)
CA-12 $5.00 1982 1982-83 Widgeons [Robert A. Richert] 9.00 3.00 $4.50 (in stock)
CA-13 $5.00 1983 1983-84 Green-winged Teal [Charles Allen] 9.00 3.00 $6.50 (in stock)
CA-14 $7.50 1984 1984-85 Mallard Decoy [Robert Montanucc] 12.00 3.00 $10.50 (in stock)
CA-15 $7.50 1985 1985-86 Ring-necked Ducks [Richard Wilson] 10.00 3.00 $9.50 (in stock)
CA-16 $7.50 1986 1986-87 Canada Geese [Sherrie Russell] 10.00 3.00 $9.50 (in stock)
CA-17 $7.50 1987 1987-88 Redhead Ducks [Robert Steiner] 10.00 3.00 $9.50 (in stock)
CA-18 $7.50 1988 1988-89 Mallards [Robert Steiner] 10.00 3.00 $9.50 (in stock)
CA-19 $7.50 1989 1989-90 Cinnamon Teal [Robert Steiner] 10.00 3.00 $9.50 (in stock)
CA-20 $7.50 1990 1990-91 Canada Geese [Ronald J. Louque] 10.00 3.00 $9.50 (in stock)
CA-21 $7.90 1991 1991-92 Gadwalls [Larry Hayden] 10.00 3.00 $9.50 (in stock)
CA-22 $7.90 1992 1992-93 White-front Geese [Sherrie Russell Meline] 12.00 3.00 $9.50 (limited)
CA-23 $10.50 1993 1993-94 Pintails [Richard Clifton] 15.00 3.00 $12.50 (in stock)
CA-24 $10.50 1994 1994-95 Wood Ducks [Richard Clifton] 15.00 3.00 $12.50 (in stock)
CA-25A $42.00 1995 1995/96 Snow Geese Strip of 4 Diff stamps (UL on 4) [Robert Steiner] 60.00 ---- ---
CA-25A1 $10.50 1995 1995/96 Snow Geese Single from Strip of 4 Diff stamps (2 or 3 sides straight-edge) [Robert Steiner] 15.00 3.00 ---
CA-25A2 $10.50 1995 1995/96 Snow Geese Single from Strip of 4 Diff stamps (2 or 3 sides straight-edge) [Robert Steiner] 15.00 ---- ---
CA-25A3 $10.50 1995 1995/96 Snow Geese Single from Strip of 4 Diff stamps (2 or 3 sides straight-edge) [Robert Steiner] 15.00 ---- ---
CA-25A4 $10.50 1995 1995/96 Snow Geese Single from Strip of 4 Diff stamps (2 or 3 sides straight-edge) [Robert Steiner] 15.00 ---- ---
CA-25SS $42.00 1995 1995/96 Snow Geese 4 Diff stamps Souvenir Sheet (same designs as strip/4 as large picture) [Robert Steiner] 195.00 ---- ---
CA-25SSGS $42.00 1995 1995/96 Snow Geese 4 Diff stamps Souvenir Sheet (souvenir sheet/4, hs. Pete Wilson) [Robert Steiner] 300.00 ---- ---
CA-26 $10.50 1996 1996-97 Mallards [Robert Steiner] 15.00 3.00 $13.50 (limited)
CA-26GS $10.50 1996 1996-97 Mallards (hs. Pete Wilson) [Robert Steiner] 150.00 ---- ---
CA-27 $10.50 1997 1997-98 Pintails [Robert Steiner] 15.00 3.00 $13.50 (limited)
CA-27GS $10.50 1997 1997-98 Pintails (hs. Pete Wilson) [Robert Steiner] 135.00 ---- ---
CA-28 $21 1998 1998-99 Green-winged Teal (se-tenant pair) [Robert Steiner] 29.00 3.00 ---
CA-28A $10.50 1998 1998-99 Green-winged Teal (single stamp from se-tenenant pair) [Robert Steiner] 15.00 ---- ---
CA-28B $10.50 1998 1998-99 Green-winged Teal (single stamp from se-tenenant pair) [Robert Steiner] 15.00 ---- ---
CA-28GS $21 1998 1998-99 Green-winged Teal (se-tenant pair hs. Pete Wilson) [Robert Steiner] 450.00 ---- ---
CA-29 $21 1999 1999-00 Wood Ducks (se-tenant pair) [Robert Steinrer] 29.00 ---- ---
CA-29A $10.50 1999 1999-00 Wood Ducks (se-tenant pair) (single stamp from se-tenant pair) [Robert Steinrer] 29.00 ---- ---
CA-29B $10.50 1999 1999-00 Wood Ducks (se-tenant pair) (single stamp from se-tenant pair) [Robert Steinrer] 29.00 ---- ---
CA-29GS $21 1999 1999-00 Wood Ducks (se-tenant pair) (hs. Gray Davis) [Robert Steinrer] 400.00 ---- ---
CA-30 $10.50 2000 2000-01 Canada Geese [Robert Steinrer] 15.00 ---- ---
CA-30GS $10.50 2000 2000-01 Canada Geese (hs. Gray Davis) [Robert Steinrer] ---- ---- ---
CA-31 $10.50 2001 2001-02 Canvasback [Robert Steinrer] 15.00 ---- ---
CA-31GS $10.50 2001 2001-02 Canvasback (hs. Gray Davis) [Robert Steinrer] ---- ---- ---
CA-32 $10.50 2002 2002-03 Pintail [Robert Steinrer] 15.00 ---- ---
CA-32GS $10.50 2002 2002-03 Pintail (hs. Gray Davis) [Robert Steinrer] ---- ---- ---
CA-33 $10.50 2003 2003-04 Mallard [Robert Steiner] 15.00 ---- ---
CA-33GS $10.50 2003 2003-04 Mallard (hs. Arnold Schwarzenegger) [Robert Steiner] ---- ---- ---
CA-34 $13.50 2004 2004-05 Cinnamon Teal [Robert Steiner] 17.50 ---- ---
CA-34GS $13.50 2004 2004-05 Cinnamon Teal (hs. Arnold Schwarzenegger) [Robert Steiner] ---- ---- ---
CA-35 $14.20 2005 2005-06 [Richard Radigonda] 17.50 ---- ---
CA-36 $14.95 2006 2006-07 [Sherrie Russell Meline] 17.50 ---- ---
CA-37 $16.50 2007 6-30-08 (design of first CA duck stamp) [Paul Johnson] 18.75 ---- ---

California duck stamps are issued in panes of 5 stamps and come in booklets of five panes or 25 stamps each. The stamp is required of all waterfowl hunters 16 years of age or older, and must be affixed to the license. They are not required to be signed, although many are because of the requirement to sign federal duck stamps.

The first California duck stamps (from 1971 through 1978) were self-adhesive stamps on waxed paper backing. They were all done by the same artist, Paul B. Johnson (deceased), who was an illustrator for the California Department of Fish and Game. Mr Johnson also did the California fish and pheasant stamps. The 1971 California duck stamp (CA01) was the first state pictorial duck stamp issued, authorized by then Governor Ronald Reagan. All unsold copies of the 1972 issue (CA02) were inadvertently destroyed by the Department of Fish and Game early in 1973, thus making this one of the most difficult to find and most valuable of the state duck stamps.

The 1975 and 1976 issues (CA05 and CA06) often show gum bleeding on the stamp face. This is especially true of those stamps with the paper backing displaying a red wavy line. Stamps on clear paper backing are usually not affected by gum bleeding.

There were actually two California duck stamps issued in 1978, the revalued $5.00 CA07 (CA07R), valid from January 1 through June 30, 1978 - and CA08, valid from the fall of 1978 through June 30, 1979. The 1978 California duck stamp (CA08) is known as the "ugly duckling, and possibly the result of the biggest foul-up in state duck stamp history. In 1978, California initiated a state-wide art contest for their duck stamp and planned a multi-colored issue similar to CA09 and all following stamps. The winning artist was Ken Michaelson, and his Merganser duck print, along with a "two-minute" sketch of the ducks by Paul Johnson showing text and numerical layout, was sent to the printer for stamp production. When the stamp order was completed and shipped to the Department, it was discovered to their shock that the art on the finished stamps was based on Johnson's sketch rather than Michaelson's winning print. It was too late to correct the mistake before the hunting season commenced, so the issues were distributed to vendors throughout the state. A law suit followed, but was subsequently dropped when Michaelson won the 1979 Federal Duck Stamp Contest.

The 1979 (CA09) and 1980 (CA10) issues both came in imperforate and partially numbered condition, possibly the result of printers waste or poor quality control.

The 1995 (CA 25-28) (or CA 25A, 25B, 25C and 25D ??) California duck stamp(s) is a special 25th anniversary se-tenant issue of four stamps which show a formation of snow geese. They are issued in booklet and souvenir stamp sheet format.