Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Motehary HG 2
- Colour & date
- Black1853–1855
- Rarity
- Scarce
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 145
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Motehary HG 2 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Motehary HG 2 handstamp
Motehary was the headquarters of Champaran District, Bengal, situated 26°40' N and 84°55' E. It became a trading centre for weaving, net-making and oil-pressing.
Motehary HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Motehary — the present-day Motihari — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1853 to 1855. 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 "Scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for motehary pre stamp covers, motehary postal history or "Motehary HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Motehary marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Motehary HG 2 handstamp?
- Motehary HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Motehary (modern Motihari) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1853 to 1855. 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 Motehary HG 2?
- Motehary HG 2 is graded "Scarce" 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 Motehary pre stamp cover with HG 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Motehary 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 Motehary 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 (1853–1855). 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 Motehary
1 markOne other pre-1854 postal marking of Motehary is recorded in the census. Compare it against this mark to place 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: Motehary HG 2, Motehary HG2, Motehary Giles 2, Motihari postal history, Motehary handstamp, Motehary pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Motehary HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/motehary/hg-2 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026