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Monterey, California’s first theater
The theater: built in 1847 by Jack Swan. The postcard: mailed in 1967 with 5-cent stamp and postmark. Grade: 3
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Little River, Little River Inn
“A Landmark on California’s Mendocino Coast since 1853” on a card mailed in 1974 with an 8-cent stamp and most of the postmark. Grade: 2
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Atascadero Lake – San Luis Obispo County Park
Mailed in 1953 with 2-cent stamp and full postmark. Grade: 2
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A California Bungalow in Winter
Very old Van Ornum Colorprint card 629, unused but heavily aged and with notation on the reverse. Grade: 4
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Lancaster, Joshua Tree
Unused card, aging. Grade: 2
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Joshua Tree State Park
Not postally used, with a message taking up much of the reverse. Grade: 4
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Pacific Grove, Asilomar
Best known as a conference center with overnight lodging. Unused card showing the front of the Administration Building and Social Hall. Grade: 2
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Lake Arrowhead in Arrowhead Woods, Sunset
Unused and classic C.T. American Art card 10077 (and 1877-30) of Lake Arrowhead, “Only 80 Miles From Los Angeles, New High Gear Scenic State Highway All the Way”! Breathless! Grade: 1
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Crescent City, Light House
Unused Mike Roberts card C14388 of a facility that “can be reached by foot on extreme low tide only”. Grade: 2
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Underwood Park, Chandelier Drive-thru Tree
Unused Selithco card 107 of this 315′-high tree. Grade: 1
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Light House on Yerba Buena Island, San Francisco Bay
Unused, aging Cardinell Vincent Co. postcard S.F. 70. Grade: 2
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New Point Loma Lighthouse
Unused Road-Runner card C22317, gentle aging. Grade: 1
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Anaheim Disneyland, “It’s a Small World”
Mailed in what may be 1972 (postmark is not distinct) with 6-cent stamp. Grade: 3
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Anaheim Disneyland, Mark Twain at Dusk
Mailed from nearby Buena Park in 1967 with 4-cent stamp and full postmark. Some postmark ink transfer on the front, and foxing on the reverse. Grade: 3
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San Diego, Cabrillo National Monument, Old Spanish Lighthouse
Unused Mike Roberts card C5839. Grade: 2
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Santa Cruz, Lighthouse Point
Unused card dated 1968. Aging a bit. Grade: 2
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Point Loma, Old Spanish Lighthouse
We do not know if this unused card is a reproduction or not. It’s a real photo, unattributed, on Kodak Paper, called “Photo Post Card”. The condition of this B&W card is excellent, though if such things matter to you, please consider this to be some kind of reprint. Grade: 1
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Approach to Old Spanish Light … End of Point Loma
We do not know if this unused card is a reproduction or not. It’s a real photo, unattributed, on Kodak Paper, called “Photo Post Card”. Two of these B&W cards are available. One is aging but unmarked (Grade: 2, $2) while the other has a stain on lower right that goes through to the back (Grade: 3, $1).
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Oceanside, Yacht Harbor and lighthouse
We’ve been here many times over many years but it has never looked this empty–so we know this is an older card, unused Curteichcolor 4DK-1382 (and D.615). Grade: 1
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Pacific Grove Light, Point Pinos Lighthouse
Unused H.S. Crocker card C-169. Grade: 2
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San Diego, Point Loma Lighthouse
You might notice we describe the same facility different ways, and when this happens, we’re just following what the card says. This old Newman Company card L.15 was not postally used but has a poignant little message written on the reverse. We feel their frustration! Grade: 4
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Crescent City, Battery point and lighthouse
Mailed in 1957, this card has full postmark and commemorative International Naval Review 3-cent stamp, and explains that the lighthouse was to be converted into an historical museum. Some postmark ink transfer on the front. Grade: 4
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San Francisco, Point Bonita Light Station
Unused card dated 1968. Among lighthouse “firsts,” this one is said to be the location of the first fog signal on the Pacific Coast, opened in 1855. Grade: 1
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Eureka, Trinidad Head
Unused card, slightly aged. Grade: 1
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Yerba Buena Island, San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge
Unused Curteichcolor card 7C-K683 (and 79) of “the longest bridge in the world” (at that time). There is absolutely no clear answer to any such claim now, but it’s still a long bridge. Grade: 1
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San Diego, Old Spanish Lighthouse, Cabrillo National Monument
Mailed in 1941 with 1-cent stamp, San Diego postmark, and ink transfer on the front. The facility dates from 1855. Grade: 4
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Greetings from California
Mailed in 2012 with four different stamps–two of which are Washington’s Tidal Basin connected–along with one extra sticker, illegible postmark, and a crease through the middle. Grade: 4
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San Francisco, Mile Rock Light House, Golden Gate
Unused Souvenir Publishing Company card 341, significantly mottled and aged and with some abrasion on the reverse–but it’s old. Grade: 3
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Echo Lake, water skiing
Somehow, it looks cold. Unused Mike Roberts card C6866. Grade: 2
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Lassen Volcanic National Park
The reverse caption on this unused H.S. Crocker card K-105 says that Mt. Lassen is “America’s most recently active volcano,” meaning that the card either pre-dates Hawaii as a state, or they mis-spoke. Aging a bit but in good condition. Grade: 1
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Lexington Dam Near Los Gatos
Unused Mike Roberts card C6919. Starting to age. Grade: 2
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Old Spanish Lighthouse, Point Loma, San Diego
Another old view of this well-photographed structure. Unused Western Publishing & Novelty Co. card 93462. Grade: 1
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San Diego, Point Loma, Old Spanish Lighthouse
Unused E.C. Kropp card 15431, showing a starting date not quite the same as the previous card (1855). Grade: 1
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Lompoc, Point Conception Light Station
Unused Mike Roberts card C7507. The station was established in 1856, with 180,000 candle power. Grade: 1
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Pacific Grove, Point Pinos Light House
Two of these unused Edward H. Mitchell cards 3044, well-aged, are available. Grades: 2
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San Francisco, Point Reyes Lighthouse
Unused card. Grade: 1
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San Diego, Old Spanish Lighthouse, Cabrillo National Monument
Unused Plastichrome card P8452, of this oft-photographed structure. The date this card gives for first light is 1855. Grade: 3
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Pescadero, Pigeon Point Lighthouse
This unused Dexter Press postcard 56484-B reveals nothing, but Wikipedia reveals everything: built in 1871, tied with Point Arena Light as the tallest lighthouse on the U.S. West Coast, surrounded by Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park, and–in part–a hotel now. Grade: 1
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Los Angeles Harbor, Point Firmin and Lighthouse
Old, unused M. Kashower Co. card 507. Somehow this lighthouse has survived, but not without lots of help. It was built in 1874 using lumber from California redwoods, and the light went out in 1941 due to World War II. Falling into disrepair, and even called haunted, it is now, officially, the Point Fermin (the correct spelling) Lighthouse Historic Site and Museum, in San Pedro. The card: Grade: 1
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Asti, Tasting Room of the Italian Swiss Colony Winery
There was a time when California was not awash in boutique wineries. Wildfires might bring it back to that era. The unused card is from Italian Swiss Colony. Grade: 1