What is the Bombay HG 5 handstamp?

Bombay HG 5 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Bombay (modern Mumbai) in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1808 to 1814. The "HG 5" 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 Bombay HG 5?

Bombay HG 5 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 8 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.

What does a Bombay pre stamp cover with HG 5 look like?

A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Bombay 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 5. 8 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 Bombay HG 5 cover?

Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1808–1814). 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.

Bombay HG 5 — pre-1854 Indian handstamp, 1808–1814, Black

Bombay Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp

Bombay HG 5

Handstamp

Colour & date: Black1808–1814
Rarity: Common
Note: Smaller letters
Catalogue: 1989 Catalogue · p. 35
Figure: 5
Submitted by: D. Hammond Giles

← HG 4 All Bombay HG 6 →

Census

Census records

8 covers recorded

8 pre-1854 covers bearing the Bombay HG 5 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.

COV-852

27 August 1808

1808 : H.G.5 / S.D.1 : Letter from U.K. to BOMBAY and redirected to SURAT. As there was no Packet Line to India, this letter was sent by a vessel other than a regular sailing packet, and charged 1/9 being half the packet rate, equated to the British / Brazil packet rate of 3/ 6d, in1808. It arrived in BOMBAY in 1809, incurring 1 Quarter port ship postage, and being stamped "B BAY SHIP PCE NOT PAID". The letter was readdressed to SURAT, and stamped "BBAY POST NOT PAID" and charged 1 Quarter 25 Reis inland postage from BOMBAY to SURAT. Quarters was coinage of PORTUGUESE origin, having 100 Reis =1 Quarter, & 4 quarters =1 Bombay Rupee.

COV-1911

1809

1809 (28 Dec.) entire letter from Deer park near Honiton to Captain Shuldham, Assistant Adjutant General at Bombay, and redirected to Poona, marked "P9" and with London Paid datestamp on face, the reverse showing framed "bbay post not paid" (HG5) and "bbay ship pge not paid" (HGSD1) across join.

COV-2019

1809

1809 (14 Oct) Entire from Taunton, UK to Bombay, redirected to Poona bearing 50 reas (manuscript) with B.BAY POST NOT PAID (Giles 5) and B.BAY SHIP PGE NOT PAID (Giles SD1)

COV-2610

6 January 1810

COV-2353

25 February 1810

BOMBAY - CIRCULAR OR OVAL FRAMED “B BAY NOT PAID” TYPES ON UNPAID/PREPAID PAIR EX SOMERSET; 9 Aug. 1804 EL from “Deer Park” (near Taunton) and 25 Feb. 1810 EL prepaid from Bagborough (with fair Taunton mileage mark) to the same Lieut./Capt. Shuldham in Bombay; the first (interesting contents ref. the French stirring up trouble in Ireland) without postal marks except for a mainly very fine encircled “B.BAY/P. NOT/PAID” (HG3; “Scarce” - 1806 only) on the top flap and redirected to Gujarat. The other prepaid 9d (“Pd 9”) with London transit “PAID” d.s. also redirected (to “Poonah”with mainly v. fine long oval-framed “BBAY SHIP PGE NOT PAID” (HG SD1; “Scarce”) and “BBAY POST NOT PAID” (HG5; earlier than recorded) on different flaps. Fine pair. (2 covers) PHOTO - see page 63

COV-4076

1811

Rare post from London addressed to Bombay and redirected to Poona with HG5 "Bombay Post not Paid" handstamp in combination with "SD1 BB Ship Post" of Kings post with other transit marks.

COV-1912

1812

1812 (23 Nov.) entire letter from Deer Park, Honiton to Capt. Shuldham, Assistant Adjutant General to the Poonah Subsidiary Force at Bombay, rated "P10" with London Paid datestamp on face, the reverse with framed "b.bay post not paid" (HG5) with small portion torn away through opening.

COV-1416

8 June 1813

1813 BBAY POST NOT PAID Giles 5 on entire to Calcutta addressed to John Adam, Secretary to Government, alongside Calcutta Giles 11 with 15 annas bearing postage due on arrival

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About this mark

The Bombay HG 5 handstamp

Mumbai, also known as Bombay, is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra — the financial capital and most populous city of India, on the Konkan coast of the Arabian Sea.

Bombay HG 5 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Bombay — the present-day Mumbai — in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1808 to 1814. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 5".

8 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 "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for bombay pre stamp covers, bombay postal history or "Bombay HG5" material can compare HG 5 across every office or browse the rest of the Bombay marks.

Smaller letters

Frequently asked

What is the Bombay HG 5 handstamp?: Bombay HG 5 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Bombay (modern Mumbai) in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1808 to 1814. The "HG 5" 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 Bombay HG 5?: Bombay HG 5 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 8 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
What does a Bombay pre stamp cover with HG 5 look like?: A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Bombay 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 5. 8 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 Bombay HG 5 cover?: Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1808–1814). 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 Bombay

109 marks

109 other pre-1854 postal markings of Bombay are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.

View all Bombay marks and postal history →

Suggest a correction

Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.

Also searched as: Bombay HG 5, Bombay HG5, Bombay Giles 5, Mumbai postal history, Bombay handstamp, Bombay pre stamp cover.

How to cite

“Bombay HG 5 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bombay/bombay/hg-5 (accessed 11 August 2026).

Updated: 11 Aug 2026