Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Manuscript
Chandernagore MN 2
- Type
- Manuscript
- Date Span
- 1821
- Rarity
- 1 example recorded
- Figure
- MN2
- Submitted by
- Markand Dave FRPSL
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Chandernagore MN 2 manuscript marking is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Chandernagore MN 2 marking
Chandernagore, a French Settlement, situated 22°52' N and 88°22' E, on the bank of the Hooghly River, about 22 miles north of Calcutta. It was first occupied by the French in 1688, and was twice occupied by the East India Company, and returned to France under the Treaty of Amiens in 1802, only to be retaken by the English and held until 1816, when it was returned to the French.
Chandernagore MN 2 is a pre-1854 manuscript postal marking of the post office at Chandernagore — the present-day Chandannagar — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1821. Its "MN 2" designation is the figure number assigned in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
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 chandernagore pre stamp covers, chandernagore postal history or "Chandernagore MN2" material can compare MN 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Chandernagore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Chandernagore MN 2 marking?
- Chandernagore MN 2 is a pre-1854 manuscript postal marking of Chandernagore (modern Chandannagar) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1821. The "MN 2" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
- How rare is Chandernagore MN 2?
- Chandernagore MN 2 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 a Chandernagore pre stamp cover with MN 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Chandernagore is a folded letter or envelope carried before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, with postage shown entirely by manuscript rate marks like MN 2. 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 a Chandernagore MN 2 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1821). 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 Chandernagore
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Chandernagore 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: Chandernagore MN 2, Chandernagore MN2, Chandernagore Giles MN 2, Chandannagar postal history, Chandernagore handstamp, Chandernagore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Chandernagore MN 2 — manuscript,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/chandernagore/mn-2 (accessed 9 August 2026).
Updated: 9 Aug 2026