Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Diamond Harbour HG 3
- Colour & date
- Black1844–1847
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 2000 Supplement · p. 7
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Diamond Harbour HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Diamond Harbour HG 3 handstamp
Diamond Harbour is a city and municipality of South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, on the Hooghly estuary; headquarters of the Diamond Harbour subdivision.
Diamond Harbour HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Diamond Harbour in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 1847. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 2000 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 3".
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 "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for diamond harbour pre stamp covers, diamond harbour postal history or "Diamond Harbour HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Diamond Harbour marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Diamond Harbour HG 3 handstamp?
- Diamond Harbour HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Diamond Harbour in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 1847. The "HG 3" 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 Diamond Harbour HG 3?
- Diamond Harbour HG 3 is graded "Common" 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 Diamond Harbour pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Diamond Harbour 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 3. 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 Diamond Harbour HG 3 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1844–1847). 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 Diamond Harbour
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Diamond Harbour 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: Diamond Harbour HG 3, Diamond Harbour HG3, Diamond Harbour Giles 3, Diamond Harbour handstamp, Diamond Harbour pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Diamond Harbour HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/diamond-harbour/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026