Scan or Photo Courtesy of Siegel Auction Galleries
Date
1854
Description
India, 1854, 1a Red, Die I (4; SG 12). Huge margins, tied by barred "1" cancel on blue printed folded "Military Fund Circular No. 109" to Major General Wilson in Belgaum, Bombay Dec. 11, 1855 despatch datestamp on back, forwarded to Kaludghee with 1854, 1a Red, Die I (4; SG 12), large margins, tied by barred "85" cancel, with corresponding Belgaum Dec. 17 datestamp on back, Kaludghee (Dec. 18) arrival datestamp, cover with some flaws including piece missing at bottom and edge/corner wear, still Fine, an exceptional postal history artifact paying the one penny concessionary rate for printed matter, then using another example for forwarding
Auction
The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026), Lot 10135, (2026)
Same office
Other recorded marks at Belgaum
7 marks7 other pre-1854 postal markings of Belgaum are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Belgaum HG 1handstampRed1829–1837
- Belgaum HG 2handstampOrange1832–1837
- Belgaum HG 3handstampRed1839–1854
- Belgaum HG 4handstampRed1838–1852
- Belgaum HG 4AhandstampRed1838–1843
- Belgaum HG 6handstampBlack1851–1858
+1 more at this office.View all Belgaum marks and postal history →
About this Belgaum pre stamp cover
COV-5328 is a Belgaum pre stamp cover of 1854 bearing the Belgaum HG 5 handstamp, struck in red, recorded in the census of Belgaum postal history — the office known today as Belagavi, Bombay Presidency. What is a pre stamp cover?
India, 1854, 1a Red, Die I (4; SG 12). Huge margins, tied by barred "1" cancel on blue printed folded "Military Fund Circular No. 109" to Major General Wilson in Belgaum, Bombay Dec. 11, 1855 despatch datestamp on back, forwarded to Kaludghee with 1854, 1a Red, Die I (4; SG 12), large margins, tied by barred "85" cancel, with corresponding Belgaum Dec. 17 datestamp on back, Kaludghee (Dec. 18) arrival datestamp, cover with some flaws including piece missing at bottom and edge/corner wear, still Fine, an exceptional postal history artifact paying the one penny concessionary rate for printed matter, then using another example for forwarding
Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026) lot 10135 (2026).
2 images of COV-5328 are recorded; the Belgaum HG 5 mark itself is recorded in use 1840–1858.
Questions about COV-5328
- What is COV-5328?
- COV-5328 is a recorded pre stamp cover of Belgaum, Bombay Presidency of 1854, bearing the Belgaum HG 5 handstamp in red. India, 1854, 1a Red, Die I (4; SG 12). Huge margins, tied by barred "1" cancel on blue printed folded "Military Fund Circular No. 109" to Major General Wilson in Belgaum, Bombay Dec. 11, 1855 despatch datestamp on back, forwarded to Kaludghee with 1854, 1a Red, Die I (4; SG 12), large margins, tied by barred "85" cancel, with corresponding Belgaum Dec. 17 datestamp on back, Kaludghee (Dec. 18) arrival datestamp, cover with some flaws including piece missing at bottom and edge/corner wear, still Fine, an exceptional postal history artifact paying the one penny concessionary rate for printed matter, then using another example for forwarding
- How scarce is the Belgaum HG 5 mark on this cover?
- The census grades Belgaum HG 5 as common, counted from surviving recorded covers rather than estimated. The mark is recorded in use 1840–1858.
- What is the provenance of COV-5328?
- Its recorded auction history runs through Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026) lot 10135 (2026).
- When was COV-5328 posted?
- COV-5328 is dated 1854, within the recorded period of use of Belgaum HG 5 (1840–1858).
About this record
This 1854 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Belgaum HG 5 handstamp of the Bombay Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — one of 13 surviving covers with this mark recorded. It has appeared at auction with Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, The Magnolia Collection: India Postal History, Part 8 (Sale 9061, 21 October 2026), lot 10135, (2026).