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 Eusebio Francisco Kino (1644–1711) alongside the Arizona flag and notes Arizona’s admission as the 48th state in 1912.
Kino, a Jesuit missionary and explorer, played a pivotal role in the early history of the American Southwest. He established missions across the Sonoran Desert, introduced European agricultural techniques to Native peoples, and mapped vast regions of present-day Arizona and northern Mexico—contributions still honored today in Arizona place names and institutions.
A notable detail is the cachet’s focus on Kino’s statue and his advocacy for indigenous communities, rather than the more common state symbols, giving this cover strong historical and topical appeal for collectors of Arizona, missions, or Bicentennial issues.
A fine addition to any U.S. statehood or religious history collection, this well-preserved official FDC displays crisp postmarking and attractive dual-flag artwork.
