Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Moorshedabad HG 3
- Date Span
- 1831
- Colour
- Black
- Rarity
- Very scarce
- Note
- Very scarce
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 144
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Moorshedabad HG 3 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 Moorshedabad HG 3 handstamp
Moorshedabad was the headquarters of the Lalbagh subdivision of the District, Bengal, situated 24°12' N and 88°17' E, on the left bank of the Bhagirathi River. The battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 just beyond the limits of the town. Moorshedabad, having been the seat of the Mohammadan government in Bengal, came into British possession when the E.!. Company received the Diwani of Bengal in 1765.
Moorshedabad HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Moorshedabad — the present-day Murshidabad — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1831. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 3".
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 "Very scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for moorshedabad pre stamp covers, moorshedabad postal history or "Moorshedabad HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Moorshedabad marks.
Very scarce
Frequently asked
- What is the Moorshedabad HG 3 handstamp?
- Moorshedabad HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Moorshedabad (modern Murshidabad) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1831. 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 Moorshedabad HG 3?
- Moorshedabad HG 3 is graded "Very scarce" 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 Moorshedabad pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Moorshedabad 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. 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 Moorshedabad 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 (1831). 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 Moorshedabad
4 marks4 other pre-1854 postal markings of Moorshedabad 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: Moorshedabad HG 3, Moorshedabad HG3, Moorshedabad Giles 3, Murshidabad postal history, Moorshedabad handstamp, Moorshedabad pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Moorshedabad HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/moorshedabad/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026