Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Dacca HG 2 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Dacca HG 2 handstamp
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 HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Dacca — the present-day Dhaka — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1799. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 2".
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 dacca pre stamp covers, dacca postal history or "Dacca HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Dacca marks.
Rare – 1 example recorded
Frequently asked
- What is the Dacca HG 2 handstamp?
- Dacca HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Dacca (modern Dhaka) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1799. The "HG 2" 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 Dacca HG 2?
- Dacca HG 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 Dacca pre stamp cover with HG 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Dacca 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 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 Dacca HG 2 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1799). 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 Dacca
10 marks10 other pre-1854 postal markings of Dacca are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Dacca HG 1handstampBlack1775–1783
- Dacca HG 3handstampBlack1806–1820
- Dacca HG 4handstampBlack1813
- Dacca HG 5handstampBlack1815–1821
- Dacca HG 6handstampBlack1820–1836
- Dacca HG 7handstampBlack1812–1818
- Dacca HG 8handstampBlack1824–1834
- Dacca HG 9handstampRed1854
- Dacca HG 10handstampBlack1854
- Dacca HG 10AhandstampRed1852–1854
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Dacca HG 2, Dacca HG2, Dacca Giles 2, Dhaka postal history, Dacca handstamp, Dacca pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Dacca HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/dacca/hg-2 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026