Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Bhooj HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Bhooj HG 3 handstamp
Bhooj is the capital of the State of Cutch, Bombay, situated 23°15' N and 69°48' E, at the base of a fortified hill. There was a British Residency in existence as early as 1826, and possibly even earlier.
Bhooj HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Bhooj — the present-day Bhuj — in the Bombay Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1840. Known strikes are in black. Its "HG 3" designation is the figure number assigned in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
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 "1 example recorded" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for bhooj pre stamp covers, bhooj postal history or "Bhooj HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Bhooj marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Bhooj HG 3 handstamp?
- Bhooj HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Bhooj (modern Bhuj) in the Bombay Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1840. The "HG 3" 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 Bhooj HG 3?
- Bhooj HG 3 has 1 example recorded 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 a Bhooj pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Bhooj 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 a Bhooj 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 (1840). 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 Bhooj
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Bhooj 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: Bhooj HG 3, Bhooj HG3, Bhooj Giles 3, Bhuj postal history, Bhooj handstamp, Bhooj pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Bhooj HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bombay/bhooj/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026