Bombay Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Ahmedabad HG 3
- Colour & date
- Red1851–1852
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1993 Supplement · p. 3
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Ahmedabad HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Ahmedabad HG 3 handstamp
Ahmedabad, chief town of the District, situated 23°2' N and 72°35' E, 310 miles from Bombay. It was captured from the Moguls by the Marathas in 1753, and in 1818, with the overthrow of the Peshwa, it was ceded to the British.
Ahmedabad HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Ahmedabad in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1851 to 1852. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1993 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 3".
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 "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for ahmedabad pre stamp covers, ahmedabad postal history or "Ahmedabad HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Ahmedabad marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Ahmedabad HG 3 handstamp?
- Ahmedabad HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Ahmedabad in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1851 to 1852. 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 Ahmedabad HG 3?
- Ahmedabad HG 3 is graded "Common" 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 an Ahmedabad pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Ahmedabad 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 an Ahmedabad 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 (1851–1852). 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 Ahmedabad
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Ahmedabad 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: Ahmedabad HG 3, Ahmedabad HG3, Ahmedabad Giles 3, Ahmedabad handstamp, Ahmedabad pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Ahmedabad HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bombay/ahmedabad/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026