Post office · Bengal Presidency
Dacca
- Handstamps
- 11
- Recorded
- 1775–1854
- Rare
- 4
Dacca has been the capital of East Bengal ever since 1608, and is situated 23°43' N and 90°24' E, on the north bank of the Burhi Ganga River, 254 miles from Calcutta.
Dacca has 11 pre-1854 hand-struck postal markings dated 1775–1854 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Brown border = community submission, verified by editors
Dacca handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
| Mark | Type | Colour | Dates | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HG 1 | Handstamp | Black | 1775–1783 | 3 examples recorded |
| HG 2 | Handstamp | Black | 1799 | 1 example recorded |
| HG 3 | Handstamp | Black | 1806–1820 | 4 examples recorded |
| HG 4 | Handstamp | Black | 1813 | Common |
| HG 5 | Handstamp | Black | 1815–1821 | Common |
| HG 6 | Handstamp | Black | 1820–1836 | Common |
| HG 7 | Handstamp | Black | 1812–1818 | Common |
| HG 8 | Handstamp | Black | 1824–1834 | Common |
| HG 9 | Handstamp | Red | 1854 | Common |
| HG 10 | Handstamp | Black | 1854 | Common |
| HG 10A | Handstamp | Red | 1852–1854 | Rare |
Frequently asked — Dacca postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Dacca?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Dacca are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Dacca post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Dacca was a post office of the Bengal Presidency, British India, and this census records 11 distinct postal markings used there, dated between 1775 and 1854.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Dacca?
- 11 hand-struck postal markings are recorded for Dacca in this census, of which 4 are graded rare or better. Each mark carries its Hammond Giles catalogue figure number, colour, date range, evidence-based rarity grade, and links to every surviving cover recorded with it.
- What is Dacca called today?
- Dacca is the colonial-era name of present-day Dhaka, India. Covers and postmarks are catalogued here under the historical name used on the marks themselves.
- How do I identify a Dacca postmark or cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impressions on this page — each figure shows the mark's design, ink colour and recorded date range. If your Dacca cover bears a mark that matches a figure, open that figure's page to see every recorded example with provenance. If it matches none, it may be unrecorded: submit photographs through the form on this page and the editors will review it for inclusion in the census.
Also searched as: Dacca, Dhaka, Dacca HG 1, Dacca handstruck stamps, Dacca pre stamp covers, Dacca postal history.
How to cite
“Dacca, Bengal Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/dacca (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026
An unrecorded mark from Dacca?
If you hold a cover or strike from Dacca that does not match any figure above, submit it below. Approved additions appear here as new entries in the census — every submission is reviewed first.
Same presidency
Other post offices in the Bengal Presidency
Explore the pre-1854 postal history of other Bengal Presidency post offices — each page lists its recorded handstruck markings, dates and surviving covers.