Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Saharunpore HG 2
- Date Span
- 1844-49
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 183
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
3 covers recorded3 pre-1854 covers bearing the Saharunpore HG 2 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Saharunpore HG 2 handstamp
Saharunpoor, headquarters of the same named District, United Provinces, is situated 29°37' N and 17°33' E, 988 miles from Calcutta and 1069 from Bombay. The district remained in Maratha hands until the British conquest in 1818. A stud farm was established, which later became the army remount centre.
Saharunpore HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Saharunpore — the present-day Saharanpur — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 1849. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 2".
3 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 saharunpore pre stamp covers, saharunpore postal history or "Saharunpore HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Saharunpore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Saharunpore HG 2 handstamp?
- Saharunpore HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Saharunpore (modern Saharanpur) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 1849. The "HG 2" 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 Saharunpore HG 2?
- Saharunpore HG 2 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 3 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Saharunpore pre stamp cover with HG 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Saharunpore 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. 3 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 Saharunpore 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 (1844-49). 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 Saharunpore
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Saharunpore 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: Saharunpore HG 2, Saharunpore HG2, Saharunpore Giles 2, Saharanpur postal history, Saharunpore handstamp, Saharunpore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Saharunpore HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/saharunpore/hg-2 (accessed 22 July 2026).
Updated: 22 Jul 2026