This Official First Day Cover bears the 13¢ Minnesota state flag stamp issued February 23, 1976, and cancelled in Washington, DC on the first day of issue. The cachet depicts the statue of Henry Mower Rice alongside the Minnesota flag and notes the territory’s admission as the thirty-second state in 1858.
Henry Mower Rice (1817–1894) played a pivotal role in Minnesota’s path to statehood, serving as territorial delegate, U.S. Senator, and commissioner to Indian tribes. The stamp’s release during the national Bicentennial celebrations underscored the enduring legacy of westward expansion and state-making in America’s second century.
A notable detail is the cachet’s faithful reproduction of the Rice statue that stands in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall, paired with the official “Bicentennial Era 1776-1976” inscription. The cover carries no addressee, keeping the focus squarely on the philatelic elements.
Collectors will appreciate the clean Washington, DC postmark, the crisp cachet artwork, and the strong topical appeal for statehood, flag, and Bicentennial collections.
