This official First Day Cover features the 13¢ Arizona State Flag stamp issued February 23, 1976, in Washington, DC, during the U.S. Bicentennial Era. The cachet depicts the statue of Jesuit missionary and explorer Eusebio Francisco Kino (1644–1711) alongside the Arizona state flag and notes Arizona’s admission to the Union as the 48th state in 1912.
Kino played a pivotal role in the early history of the American Southwest, establishing missions across the Sonoran Desert and introducing European agricultural techniques to indigenous peoples. His advocacy for Native American rights and contributions to mapping the region remain significant historical legacies.
The cachet artwork highlights Kino’s distinctive statue, originally placed in the National Statuary Hall Collection, and pairs it with the vibrant red-and-gold “sunburst” Arizona flag design. The cover is postmarked with the official first-day cancel and marked “Official First Day Cover.”
A strong addition for collectors of state flags, Bicentennial issues, or Arizona postal history, this cover displays excellent centering and clean cachet details.
