Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Pooree HG 3
- Colour & date
- Black1846
- Rarity
- Rare
- Note
- Bearing
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- Private
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Pooree HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Pooree HG 3 handstamp
Pooree (Puri) is in the Orissa Division of Bengal, on the Bay of Bengal. It is celebrated as the seat of the great temple of Jagannath, one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites. The town came under British administration in 1803.
Pooree HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Pooree — the present-day Puri — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1846. 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 "Rare" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for pooree pre stamp covers, pooree postal history or "Pooree HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Pooree marks.
Bearing
Frequently asked
- What is the Pooree HG 3 handstamp?
- Pooree HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Pooree (modern Puri) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1846. 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 Pooree HG 3?
- Pooree HG 3 is graded "Rare" 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 Pooree pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Pooree 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 Pooree 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 (1846). 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 Pooree
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Pooree 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: Pooree HG 3, Pooree HG3, Pooree Giles 3, Puri postal history, Pooree handstamp, Pooree pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Pooree HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/pooree/hg-3 (accessed 15 September 2026).
Updated: 15 Sept 2026