Y5501

Federal Duck

Trumpeter Swans

Cover Announcement 

In an article about my Duck covers in the 2016 Second Quarter issue of "Duck Tracks" editor Peter Martin writes, "Collins was one of the original four in 1981 and he has continued to produce outstanding duck First Day Covers every year. Collins therefore has the longest running series of Federal Duck stamp FDCs." He goes on to mention my AFDCS Cachetmaker of the Quarter Century (1976-2000);

Cachetmaker of the Half-Century (1951-2000); and Cachetmaker of the Decade (2001-2010) awards. Martin goes on to say that "The designs are exceptionally well done," that they "have won many awards in the Annual AFDCS Cachetmakers Contest," and that "The Collins Ducks have retained their value over the years and continue to be sought after."

The trumpeter swan is a beautiful and elegant species found in North America. It is the largest species of waterfowl with a wingspan that may exceed ten feet. In 1933 fewer than 70 wild trumpeters were known to exist, and the road to extinction seemed like a sure thing. Then, miraculously, an aerial survey discovered a remote population of several thousand in Alaska, and this magnificent swan was saved in the wild. Reintroductions have now restored the North American population to about 50,000 trumpeters,