80 years ago: the first Duck Stamps sold

[Chris Merkord]

From the Birding Community E-bulletin, August 2014:
 
80 YEARS AGO: THE FIRST DUCK STAMPS SOLD

The "first day of sale" for the very first "Duck Stamp" was 22 August 1934. The original design was created by artist and conservationist Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling. In its first year, 635,000 stamps were sold at $1 apiece, with the revenue generated from the stamp directed to wetland conservation. In the last 80 years, approximately $900 million have been collected through the sale of this stamp, and over 5.5 million acres of wetland, grassland, riparian, and bottomland habitats in the National Wildlife Refuge System secured.

For more on the 80th anniversary, see here:
www.friendsofthestamp.org/looking-at-the-80th-anniversary/