Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Poorneea HG 3
- Colour & date
- Red1853
- Rarity
- Rare
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- Gowtham BJ
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Poorneea HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Poorneea HG 3 handstamp
Poorneea (Purnea) the headquarters of Poorneea District, Bengal on the east bank of the Saura River, situated 25°46' N and 87°28' E. Poorneea the outlying military province of the Mogul empire The District came into British hands in 1765, along with the rest of Bengal.
Poorneea HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Poorneea — the present-day Purnia — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1853. Known strikes are in red. 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 poorneea pre stamp covers, poorneea postal history or "Poorneea HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Poorneea marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Poorneea HG 3 handstamp?
- Poorneea HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Poorneea (modern Purnia) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1853. The "HG 3" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in red.
- How rare is Poorneea HG 3?
- Poorneea 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 Poorneea pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Poorneea 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 Poorneea 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 (1853). 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 Poorneea
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Poorneea 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: Poorneea HG 3, Poorneea HG3, Poorneea Giles 3, Purnia postal history, Poorneea handstamp, Poorneea pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Poorneea HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/poorneea/hg-3 (accessed 21 July 2026).
Updated: 21 Jul 2026