Mauritius "Post Office" Two Pence Blue

Mauritius · 1847 · Two Pence

This stamp features a left-facing profile of Queen Victoria, based on the 1838 City Medal by William Wyon. The inscription reads "POST OFFICE" along the left panel, an error that was corrected to "POST PAID" in the subsequent 1848 issue. The denomination "TWO PENCE" is at the bottom, and "MAURITIUS" is on the right.

Issued alongside the One Penny Red, the "Post Office" issue was the first stamp series produced in the British Empire outside of Great Britain. The stamps were printed locally in Port Louis and are famous for their rarity and the "Post Office" inscription, which makes them among the most sought-after stamps in the world.