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Hand Struck Stamps
Patna HG 15 — pre-1854 Indian handstamp, 1839-47, Black

Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp

Patna HG 15

HandstampEx-territorial British
Date Span
1839-47
Colour
Black
Rarity
Common
Catalogue
1993 Supplement · p. 25
Figure
15
Submitted by
D. Hammond Giles
← HG 14aAll PatnaHG 15a →

Census

Census records

2 covers recorded

2 pre-1854 covers bearing the Patna HG 15 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.

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About this mark

The Patna HG 15 handstamp

Patna, the chief town in Patna District, Bengal, is situated 25°37' N and 85°10' E, on the right bank of the Ganges River, a few miles below its junction with the Son. During the eighteenth century the East India Company established a factory at Patna, and this was involved in the event of the Massacre of Patna in 1763. It later became involved during the 1857 uprising. Patna did not enter British India until 1818.

Patna HG 15 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Patna in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1839 to 1847. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1993 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 15".

2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 patna pre stamp covers, patna postal history or "Patna HG15" material can compare HG 15 across every office or browse the rest of the Patna marks.

Frequently asked

What is the Patna HG 15 handstamp?
Patna HG 15 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Patna in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1839 to 1847. The "HG 15" 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 Patna HG 15?
Patna HG 15 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
What does a Patna pre stamp cover with HG 15 look like?
A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Patna 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 15. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 Patna HG 15 cover?
Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1839-47). 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 Patna

18 marks

18 other pre-1854 postal markings of Patna are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.

View all Patna marks and postal history →

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Also searched as: Patna HG 15, Patna HG15, Patna Giles 15, Patna handstamp, Patna pre stamp cover.

How to cite

“Patna HG 15 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/patna/hg-15 (accessed 11 August 2026).

Updated: 11 Aug 2026