On December 5, 1848 US President James Polk stood before Congress and confirmed rumours of a massive gold strike in California, setting off one of the largest gold scrambles in history.  

An estimated 300,000 people from around the world packed up their belongings and headed to the mine fields around Sutter’s Mill to try their luck. 

The accounts of the abundance of gold in that territory are of such an extraordinary character as would scarcely command belief were they not corroborated by the authentic reports of officers in the public service who have visited the mineral district and derived the facts which they detail from personal observation. Reluctant to credit the reports in general circulation as to the quantity of gold, the officer commanding our forces in California visited the mineral district in July last for the purpose of obtaining accurate information on the subject. His report to the War Department of the result of his examination and the facts obtained on the spot is herewith laid before Congress. When he visited the country there were about 4,000 persons engaged in collecting gold. There is every reason to believe that the number of persons so employed has since been augmented. The explorations already made warrant the belief that the supply is very large and that gold is found at various places in an extensive district of country.
December 5, 1848: Fourth Annual Message to Congress | Miller Center

California Gold Rush 
Issued June 18, 1999 by US post office
Designer Howard Paine used John Berkey’s artwork for this stamp

The original artwork was oil on board. Berkey consulted with a number of historians to ensure the clothing and tools were accurate. One change occurred between Berkey’s original and the final stamp was the inclusion of a free Black man (far left) in the image to show their participation in the rush.  

John Berkey is better known for his extensive science fiction portfolio that included work with George Lucas on the original artwork for Star Wars as well as poster work for Star Trek, King Kong, and Towering Inferno. In the 1960s, Berkey was commissioned by NASA to create their concept art. His artwork appeared on 16 stamps for the US post office including a 1998 stamp commemorating the Centenary of Klondike Gold Rush.