Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Saharunpore HG 5a
- Colour & date
- Black1851
- Rarity
- Scarce
- Catalogue
- 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave) · p. 22
- Figure
- 5a
- Submitted by
- Chandak & Bhargave
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Saharunpore HG 5a handstamp has been recorded yet. If you hold one, submit it below.
No covers bearing this mark have been recorded yet. If you hold one, your submission — once reviewed — will appear here.
About this mark
The Saharunpore HG 5a 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 5a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Saharunpore — the present-day Saharanpur — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1851. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 2016 Supplement (Chandak & Bhargave), where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 5a".
No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for saharunpore pre stamp covers, saharunpore postal history or "Saharunpore HG5a" material can compare HG 5a across every office or browse the rest of the Saharunpore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Saharunpore HG 5a handstamp?
- Saharunpore HG 5a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Saharunpore (modern Saharanpur) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1851. The "HG 5a" 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 Saharunpore HG 5a?
- Saharunpore HG 5a is graded "Scarce" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example.
- What does a Saharunpore pre stamp cover with HG 5a 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 5a. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit a Saharunpore HG 5a cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1851). 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 5a, Saharunpore HG5a, Saharunpore Giles 5a, Saharanpur postal history, Saharunpore handstamp, Saharunpore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Saharunpore HG 5a — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/saharunpore/hg-5a (accessed 22 July 2026).
Updated: 22 Jul 2026