Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Colgong HG 1
- Colour & date
- Red1844–1845
- Rarity
- 1 example recorded
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- siegelauctions
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Colgong HG 1 handstamp has been recorded yet. If you hold one, submit it below.
No covers bearing this mark have been recorded yet. If you hold one, your submission — once reviewed — will appear here.
About this mark
The Colgong HG 1 handstamp
Kahalgaon (formerly known as Colgong) is a municipality in the Bhagalpur district of Bihar, India. The ruins of Vikramashila, a Buddhist monastic university founded by Dharmapala of the Pala Empire in the early ninth century, are located within the town. The Kahalgaon Super Thermal Power Station is also located 3 km from the town. During the early 16th century, Kahalgaon served as the capital-in-exile of the Jaunpur Sultanate under Husain Shah Sharqi, who took refuge in the city after he was driven from Jaunpur by Sikandar Khan Lodi
Colgong HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Colgong — the present-day Kahalgaon — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 1845. Known strikes are in red. Its "HG 1" designation is the figure number assigned in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. 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 colgong pre stamp covers, colgong postal history or "Colgong HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Colgong marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Colgong HG 1 handstamp?
- Colgong HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Colgong (modern Kahalgaon) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 1845. The "HG 1" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in red.
- How rare is Colgong HG 1?
- Colgong HG 1 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. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example.
- What does a Colgong pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Colgong 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. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit a Colgong 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 (1844–1845). 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: Colgong HG 1, Colgong HG1, Colgong Giles 1, Kahalgaon postal history, Colgong handstamp, Colgong pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Colgong HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/colgong/hg-1 (accessed 4 September 2026).
Updated: 4 Sept 2026