Bengal Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Sheerghotty HG 1
- Colour & date
- Black1828–1831
- Rarity
- Scarce
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 191
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
5 covers recorded5 pre-1854 covers bearing the Sheerghotty HG 1 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Sheerghotty HG 1 handstamp
Sheerghotty is in Gaya District, Bengal, 21 miles south of Gaya, on the right bank of the Morhar River, situated 24°33' N and 84°48' E, on the Grand Trunk Road, and hence its former importance.
Sheerghotty HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Sheerghotty — the present-day Sherghati — in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1828 to 1831. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
5 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 "Scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for sheerghotty pre stamp covers, sheerghotty postal history or "Sheerghotty HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Sheerghotty marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Sheerghotty HG 1 handstamp?
- Sheerghotty HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Sheerghotty (modern Sherghati) in the Bengal Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1828 to 1831. The "HG 1" 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 Sheerghotty HG 1?
- Sheerghotty HG 1 is graded "Scarce" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 5 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Sheerghotty pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Sheerghotty 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 1. 5 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 Sheerghotty HG 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1828–1831). 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.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Sheerghotty HG 1, Sheerghotty HG1, Sheerghotty Giles 1, Sherghati postal history, Sheerghotty handstamp, Sheerghotty pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Sheerghotty HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bengal/sheerghotty/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026