Census
Census records
4 covers recorded4 pre-1854 covers bearing the Surat HG 3 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Surat HG 3 handstamp
Surat, headquarters of Surat District, Bombay Presidency, and former seat of a Presidency under the East India Company, situated 21°12' N and 75°50' E, on the southern bank of the Tapti River. Once the chief commercial city of India.
Surat HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Surat in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1842 to 1855. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 3".
4 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 surat pre stamp covers, surat postal history or "Surat HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Surat marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Surat HG 3 handstamp?
- Surat HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Surat in the Bombay Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1842 to 1855. The "HG 3" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in red.
- How rare is Surat HG 3?
- Surat HG 3 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 4 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Surat pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Surat 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. 4 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 Surat 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 (1842–1855). 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 Surat
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Surat 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: Surat HG 3, Surat HG3, Surat Giles 3, Surat handstamp, Surat pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Surat HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/bombay/surat/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026