Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Arrah HG 3
- Colour & date
- Black1834–1835
- Rarity
- 1 example recorded
- Note
- Scarce – one example recorded
- Catalogue
- 1996 Supplement · p. 1
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Arrah HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Arrah HG 3 handstamp
Arrah is a city and the administrative headquarters of Bhojpur district, Bihar; under the British Raj it was the headquarters of the historical Shahabad district.
Arrah HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Arrah — the present-day Ara — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1834 to 1835. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1996 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 3".
A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "1 example recorded" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for arrah pre stamp covers, arrah postal history or "Arrah HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Arrah marks.
Scarce – one example recorded
Frequently asked
- What is the Arrah HG 3 handstamp?
- Arrah HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Arrah (modern Ara) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1834 to 1835. The "HG 3" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in black.
- How rare is Arrah HG 3?
- Arrah HG 3 has 1 example recorded in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance.
- What does an Arrah pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Arrah is a folded letter or envelope carried before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, with postage shown entirely by hand-struck marks like HG 3. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit an Arrah HG 3 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1834–1835). If your cover is not already recorded, you can submit front and back photographs through the census form on this page; every submission is editor-reviewed before publication.
Same office
Other recorded marks at Arrah
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Arrah are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Arrah HG 3, Arrah HG3, Arrah Giles 3, Ara postal history, Arrah handstamp, Arrah pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Arrah HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/arrah/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026