1996 1¢ American Kestrel Coil
Flora and Fauna Series
Issue Date: January 20, 1996
City: New York, New York
Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Intaglio Press
With its slate blue and rust plumage, the kestrel makes a colorful and visually unique addition to U.S. postage stamps. A relative of the falcon, this small bird of prey is also known as a "sparrow hawk." Found throughout the United States, it usually makes its home in hollowed out trees or nests deserted by other birds. This stamp was originally printed in 1991 and reprinted in 1995. This 1995 version differed from the original stamp in several ways; the new stamp utilizes a cent sign (¢) and also bears the year date 1995 in the lower left-margin. The same design is used for these coils.