Birds.mu
Title
Birds of Mauritius
Description
The Island of Mauritius is famous for 2 of the rarest stamps in the World, the 1847 "Post Office" Penny Orange and Twopence Blue.
In 1847, seven years after the first stamp was issued by Great Britain, Lady Gomn, the Governor's wife had the first Mauritian postage stamps printed, and entrusted Joseph Osmond Barnard, a local miniature painter and engraver, with the engraving of two stamps, one with the value of one penny and another with the value of two pence.
When working at the engraving of the stamps he suddenly realized that he had forgotten what was to be printed on them, so he went to the post office to get information. As he came closer to the building he saw the inscription "Post Office", which seemed to ring a bell for him. So he returned to work and engraved those two words, thus creating involuntarily the most famous stamps of Philatelic History, the "Post Office"-stamps.
Languages
English
