Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Midnapore HG 1A
- Colour & date
- Black1799
- Rarity
- Rare
- Catalogue
- 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave) · p. 16
- Figure
- 1A
- Submitted by
- Chandak & Bhargave
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Midnapore HG 1A 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 Midnapore HG 1A handstamp
Midnapore is situated 22°25' N and 87°19' E on the north bank of the Kasai river, in Midnapore District, Bengal. It had no important trade or industry, but was occupied by the East India Company from 1760, when it was assigned to the British by Mir Kasim.
Midnapore HG 1A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Midnapore — the present-day Medinipur — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1799. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave), where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1A".
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 "Rare" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for midnapore pre stamp covers, midnapore postal history or "Midnapore HG1A" material can compare HG 1A across every office or browse the rest of the Midnapore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Midnapore HG 1A handstamp?
- Midnapore HG 1A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Midnapore (modern Medinipur) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1799. The "HG 1A" 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 Midnapore HG 1A?
- Midnapore HG 1A is graded "Rare" 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 Midnapore pre stamp cover with HG 1A look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Midnapore 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 1A. 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 Midnapore HG 1A 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 Midnapore
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Midnapore 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: Midnapore HG 1A, Midnapore HG1A, Midnapore Giles 1A, Medinipur postal history, Midnapore handstamp, Midnapore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Midnapore HG 1A — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/midnapore/hg-1a (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026