Mauritius post office

The Mauritius Post Office stamps, issued in 1847, are among the rarest and most valuable in the world, famous for a printing error that made them legendary in philately.

About this subject

The Mauritius Post Office stamps were issued in September 1847 on the island of Mauritius, then a British colony. The original series included two denominations: one penny (orange) and two pence (blue). The error occurred in the inscription 'Post Office' instead of 'Post Paid', as was standard in British colonies. Only 1,000 stamps of each value were printed, but many were destroyed. Today, around 26 orange and 12 blue examples are known to exist.

The historical importance of these stamps goes beyond rarity. They were the first stamps issued by a British colony in Africa and among the first in the Southern Hemisphere. The discovery of new specimens is a major event in philately; in 2011, an unused pair (blue and orange) sold for over 1 million euros at auction. Another piece, the 'Bordeaux Cover' (envelope with both stamps), reached 1.5 million euros in 1993.

The stamps' story is full of curiosities. The engraver, Joseph Osmond Barnard, a local silversmith, was hired to produce the dies. He is said to have been inspired by the British 'Penny Black' but made the spelling mistake. The word 'post' appears in lowercase in the design, while 'office' is capitalized. The stamps circulated for only a few days before the error was corrected, explaining their scarcity.

For collectors, owning a Mauritius Post Office is the pinnacle of prestige. Most examples are in museums, such as the British Postal Museum and the Museum of Berlin. The stamp is a cultural icon, representing the dawn of global postal communication and the early steps of philately as a hobby and science.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Mauritius Post Office stamps exist today?

There are about 26 known examples of the orange 1-penny stamp and 12 of the blue 2-pence stamp. Many are held in institutional collections like museums.

What is the value of a Mauritius Post Office stamp?

Values vary based on condition and rarity. An unused pair sold for over 1 million euros in 2011. The 'Bordeaux Cover' envelope fetched 1.5 million euros in 1993.

Why does the stamp say 'Post Office' instead of 'Post Paid'?

Engraver Joseph Osmond Barnard made an error while copying the design from the British 'Penny Black'. He inscribed 'Post Office' instead of 'Post Paid', creating one of philately's most famous errors.