Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Bancorah HG 1
- Colour & date
- 1838
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
2 covers recorded2 pre-1854 covers bearing the Bancorah HG 1 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Bancorah HG 1 handstamp
Bancorah (Bankura) is in the Burdwan Division of Bengal. It served as the headquarters of Bankura District and was an important centre for trade in rice and silk. The town came under British control in the late 18th century.
Bancorah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Bancorah — the present-day Bankura — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1838. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for bancorah pre stamp covers, bancorah postal history or "Bancorah HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Bancorah marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Bancorah HG 1 handstamp?
- Bancorah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Bancorah (modern Bankura) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1838. The "HG 1" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
- How rare is Bancorah HG 1?
- Bancorah HG 1 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Bancorah pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Bancorah 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 1. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 a Bancorah HG 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1838). 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.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Bancorah HG 1, Bancorah HG1, Bancorah Giles 1, Bankura postal history, Bancorah handstamp, Bancorah pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Bancorah HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/bancorah/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026