Queen Elizabeth II 25th Anniversary Coronation First Day Cover, Mauritius postmarked on May 11, 1978.

Mauritius

Built by volcanoes, Mauritius rises east of Madagascar from coral beaches and feathery casuarina trees to a large, fertile plateau and a few craggy peaks. The population is 900,000, two-thirds Indian, one third Creole.

Although known to Phoenicians, Arabs, Malays and Portuguese, the first settlers were Dutch. Arriving in 1598, they found ebony forests and dodos, the flightless relatives of the pigeon with turkey-like bulk, depicted in this Omnibus issue. Cattle, pigs, dogs and rats escaped and multiplied greatly, so that by 1680 they (and the Dutch appetite) had eradicated the defenceless bird. Wild oxen and deer also contributed to the 3 kilos of meat allocated daily to settlers, who (to the dismay of their governor) were frequently bedridden from such gorging. The ebony forests were also soon largely gone, cleared under threat of gun and whip by African and Malagasy slaves. After 1680 there followed a cyclone, a few visits from pirates, and attacks from escaped slaves (or 'maroons'), who burnt the Dutch fort down. In 1710 the Dutch departed, leaving only the maroons and the name 'Mauritius' to commemorate Prince Maurice of Nassau.

Next, in 1721, came the French, who set about killing the maroons, introducing sugar plantations, and large numbers of slaves. Also, like the British in the Caribbean, they brought piracy, such that by 1800 Mauritius was a pirate kingdom. Between 1793 and 1802, £2^ million was taken in English cargoes alone, much of which was sold to American traders.

During the Napoleonic war Britain seized Mauritius, and with the abolition of slavery 25 years later, Creoles refusing point-blank to continue working the fields (preferring farming, fishing or unskilled labour), they began bringing indentured workers from India. Mauritius has since made enormous strides in education, health and standard of living, and in 1968 achieved independence.

Also shown in this issue is the Bohun Antelope, supporter of the arms of Mary, wife of Henry IV. The Bohuns were Normans from the Cotentin Peninsula, powerful until 1373, when Humphrey (Mary's father) died without male issue. Henry reached the throne usurping it from Richard II, and experienced many rebellions, including that of Owen Glen- dower against his repressive rule in Wales.

Shipping:

We ship via USPS, UPS or FedEx. At this time, we do not offer shipping to addresses with an APO/FPO or outside the continental United States.

Shipping Time:
Orders are normally shipped from our warehouse within 24 - 48 business hours of order placement. Please allow 7 - 10 business days for delivery after your order has shipped. Delivery times are estimated and we do not provide money-back guarantee for any shipping option other than FedEx Express or UPS Next Day.

Terms of Use and Security

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Returns & Replacements 

We accept returns within 30 days of the date of purchase unless otherwise stated on the item's page. In order to return an item, please contact us for a Return Authorization Number.  Once the Return Authorization Number is acquired, you have 30 days to return the item(s). All returned items must be unused and in new condition in their original packaging including all hardware and instructional components. Items are also subject to a 20% restocking fee. Although if you are a repeat customer who purchased from our website before, we are happy to waive the restocking fee.

Any returned item deemed not to fall within the preceding criteria will be returned with no credit issued at the customer's expense. Once your return has been inspected please allow 15 days for the credit to be applied to the credit card used for purchase. The initial cost of shipping is not eligible for a refund. Buyer pays for return shipping. To request your Return Authorization Number, please follow these steps:

1. Read and agree to the Returns Policy and Procedure above.

2. Email us at cs@phenomstores.com. We will need your order number and the Item ID number of the product you wish to return.

Refused Orders - Should you decide that you wish to refuse receipt of an item when delivered by UPS, USPS or any other common carrier and legitimately ordered from us, credit will be issued for the item, minus shipping and a restocking charge of 20%.

Exchanges - In order for us to do the exchange we would need to refund your payment, then you would need to make another purchase transaction with us for the item that you like within 7 days of your exchange request. We're asking that you return the item you bought from us within 30 days along with a tracking number so we both know that your return reached us. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items. All returned items must be unused and in new condition in their original packaging including all hardware and instructional components. Any returned item deemed not to fall within the preceding criteria will be returned with no credit issued at the customer's expense. You are responsible for the return shipping cost. We also charge a 10% restocking fee for exchanges. Once we received and inspected the item we will credit** your payment. Please take note, our inventory changes constantly so the item may not be available at the time of your request. 

**A store credit will be issued on orders returned totaling less than $5.   

Damaged, Defective and Wrong Item(s) - It is your responsibility that the item(s) you received are undamaged and the correct item(s). Please examine the shipping box and all contents immediately upon receipt for any signs of damage, defect or wrong item(s). All claims must be initiated within 7 days of delivery and send us an email so we can further assist you.

Still have questions? Please don't hesitate to contact us by sending us an email to cs@phenomstores.com or by phone at 608-571-7033.

FAQ

When do I expect my order to ship out?

Our normal shipping lead times can take up to 72 hours after your order is received. However, due to unprecedented demand brought on by COVID-19 our shipping times have been extended. This is due to logistical issues that our shipping carriers are experiencing that is outside our control. Rest assured, we're doing everything we can to ship your order as soon as it's received.

How will I know my order has shipped?

As soon as your order is packed and labeled, we will email you a shipment confirmation with the tracking number so that you're able to track your order. You can look up the status of your order by entering the tracking number found on the bottom of our web page under "Track Order Status". You can also look up the shipment status of your order by entering your shipment tracking number at USPS.com, UPS.com or FedEx.com.   

How much does shipping cost?

Our shipping costs vary depending on the item you're purchasing. Most items are eligible for our FREE shipping if your purchase totals $59 and over.  And for items that are excluded from FREE shipping like bulk or oversized items, we offer FIXED shipping rate or prevailing market prices. 

Some of the items I ordered are missing. What should I do?

Please reach out to us when you have items that are missing when you originally placed your order. This happens either because,

1. The missing items are on backorder or

2. The missing items are still on its way but due to service delays from our shipping carrier (ie UPS, FedEx) your package may take longer than expected.

How soon after can I cancel my order?

Unfortunately, we cannot cancel an order once an order is placed. This is because your order is automatically placed in queue to ship out once an order is received.  

What is the best way to reach you when I have a question? 

Our customer service phone and chat lines are normally open from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm CST. However, there are times when we can't be reached because all our customer service agents are helping other customers. If this happens, please leave us a voicemail at 608-571-7033 or write us a message on our "Contact Us" page and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

What happens when I "Pre-Order" an item?

When you "Pre-Order" an item that is out of stock, you will be notified when we have the item in stock again. Our "Pre-Order" (or Wait-List) doesn't guarantee that your order will be fulfilled but we will do our best to make that happen.

You're also under NO obligation to purchase when you sign up for "Pre-Order".