Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Gya HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Gya HG 3 handstamp
Gya (Gaya) is the chief town in Gaya District, Bengal, situated 24°49' N and 85°1' E, on the left bank of the Phalgu River.
Gya HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Gya — the present-day Gaya — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1836. Known strikes are in black. Its "HG 3" 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 gya pre stamp covers, gya postal history or "Gya HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Gya marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Gya HG 3 handstamp?
- Gya HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Gya (modern Gaya) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1836. 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 Gya HG 3?
- Gya HG 3 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 Gya pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Gya 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 Gya 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 (1836). 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 Gya
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Gya 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: Gya HG 3, Gya HG3, Gya Giles 3, Gaya postal history, Gya handstamp, Gya pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Gya HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/gya/hg-3 (accessed 21 August 2026).
Updated: 21 Aug 2026