Bombay Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Damaun HG 2
- Colour & date
- Mauve1853–1854
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 77
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Damaun HG 2 handstamp has been recorded yet. If you hold one, submit it below.
No covers bearing this mark have been recorded yet. If you hold one, your submission — once reviewed — will appear here.
About this mark
The Damaun HG 2 handstamp
Damaun was a Portuguese settlement and town in Gujerat within the Thana District of Bombay Presidency, about 100 miles from Bombay, situated 20°25' N and 72°53' E. Damaun was ceded by the Marathas to the Portuguese in 1780 by a treaty signed at Poona.
Damaun HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Damaun — the present-day Daman — in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1853 to 1854. Known strikes are in mauve. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 2".
No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for damaun pre stamp covers, damaun postal history or "Damaun HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Damaun marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Damaun HG 2 handstamp?
- Damaun HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Damaun (modern Daman) in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1853 to 1854. The "HG 2" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in mauve.
- How rare is Damaun HG 2?
- Damaun HG 2 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example.
- What does a Damaun pre stamp cover with HG 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Damaun 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 2. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit a Damaun HG 2 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1853–1854). 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 Damaun
1 markOne other pre-1854 postal marking of Damaun is recorded in the census. Compare it against this mark to place 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: Damaun HG 2, Damaun HG2, Damaun Giles 2, Daman postal history, Damaun handstamp, Damaun pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Damaun HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bombay/damaun/hg-2 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026