You don’t have to be a stamp collector to know the Blue Mauritius. But what value does the famous stamp actually have? We’ll sort it out.
The Blue Mauritius is not the oldest nor the rarest stamp in the world, but it is by far the most famous. The value fluctuates depending on the condition of the remaining specimens. Have you ever wondered how much the Blue Mauritius is actually worth? In this article you will get the answer.
Every stamp collector can only dream of a Blue Mauritius. Even if you’ve never collected a stamp before, the term probably means something to you. 500 copies were once released in Mauritius. Today it should twelve more brands give. These have been preserved in varying degrees of condition and are therefore traded at different prices. A well-preserved Blue Mauritius is worth up to one million euros.
The Blue Mauritius is actually not very spectacular. There is a on the stamp Profile of Queen Victoria of England to see. But the real boom and the associated myth are their creation. Following the British model, two postage stamps were to be issued in Mauritius in 1847: the red one penny and the blue two penny. The red stamp was intended for internal postal traffic. The Blue Mauritius should be shipped internationally.
The secret of the brand ultimately lies in the “Post Office” print on the side. This was later replaced by “Post Paid”. Nobody knows exactly why the first series contains this misprint. Rumors attribute forgetfulness, stress and poor eyesight to the engraver.
The Bordeaux-Brief is one of the most valuable objects in philately, i.e. stamp studies. In 1993, the collector’s item went to an anonymous bidder for around five million euros. A red and a blue Mauritius from the first series are stuck next to each other on the Bordeaux letter. There won’t be a second time.
The letter is also full of stamps documenting the 85 day postal journey. The content, on the other hand, is less spectacular: The Bordeaux letter contains the confirmation of receipt of goods from a wine merchant.