The 2016 duck stamp variety that has been taken off sale by USPS

By Michael Baadke

Single stamps and panes of 20 of the 2016 federal duck stamp with moisture-activated adhesive have been taken off sale at the United States Postal Service retail site online.

The stamp variety is still available from the Amplex fulfillment center here, which conducts retail sales of federal duck stamps for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a division of the U.S. Dept. of the Interior; and from selected stamp dealers and specialty dealers.

The $25 Trumpeter Swans migratory bird hunting and conservation stamp with moisture-activated adhesive (Scott RW83) was issued June 24, 2016, with an event in Springfield, Mo. The stamp artwork features a painting of two trumpeter swans in flight by Joseph Hautman of Plymouth, Minn.

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“Unfortunately, our supply of the water-activated gum (WAG) duck stamp has been depleted,” Postal Service spokesman Mark Saunders replied to an inquiry from Linn’s Stamp News. “The USPS sells these through consignment for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We will not be receiving more of the WAG variety; however, the pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) is available.”

The USPS site still shows the uncut press sheet of three panes (60 stamps) with moisture-activated adhesive still available, and the single-stamp panes of the self-adhesive stamp (Scott RW83A). It also offers the 2015 $25 Ruddy Duck federal duck stamp (RW82) with water-activated adhesive as an individual item.

U.S. federal duck stamps are listed and valued with U.S. revenue stamps in the Scott Specialized Catalogue of United States Stamps and Covers, and in Vol. 1 of the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue.