Bombay Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Malwan HG 2
- Colour & date
- Black1848
- Rarity
- Rare
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- Gowtham BJ
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Malwan HG 2 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Malwan HG 2 handstamp
Malwan (Malvan) is a coastal town in the Southern Konkan, Bombay Presidency. It is situated near the historic Sindhudurg Fort, built by Shivaji in 1664. The town was an important port and naval station.
Malwan HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Malwan — the present-day Malvan — in the Bombay Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1848. Known strikes are in black. Its "HG 2" 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 "Rare" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for malwan pre stamp covers, malwan postal history or "Malwan HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Malwan marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Malwan HG 2 handstamp?
- Malwan HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Malwan (modern Malvan) in the Bombay Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1848. The "HG 2" 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 Malwan HG 2?
- Malwan HG 2 is graded "Rare" 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 Malwan pre stamp cover with HG 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Malwan 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. 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 Malwan 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 (1848). 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 Malwan
1 markOne other pre-1854 postal marking of Malwan 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: Malwan HG 2, Malwan HG2, Malwan Giles 2, Malvan postal history, Malwan handstamp, Malwan pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Malwan HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bombay/malwan/hg-2 (accessed 21 July 2026).
Updated: 21 Jul 2026