Goa (Portuguese India) · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Bicholim FP 3
- Colour & date
- Black—
- Rarity
- 1 example recorded
- Note
- "Livre" Handstamp
- Figure
- FP3
- Submitted by
- Andrew Titley
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Bicholim FP 3 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 Bicholim FP 3 handstamp
Bicholim FP 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Bicholim in the Goa (Portuguese India), British India, recorded in use —. Known strikes are in black. Its "FP 3" designation is the figure number assigned in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
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 "1 example recorded" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for bicholim pre stamp covers, bicholim postal history or "Bicholim FP3" material can compare FP 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Bicholim marks.
"Livre" Handstamp
Frequently asked
- What is the Bicholim FP 3 handstamp?
- Bicholim FP 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Bicholim in the Goa (Portuguese India), British India, recorded in use —. The "FP 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 Bicholim FP 3?
- Bicholim FP 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. 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 Bicholim pre stamp cover with FP 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Bicholim is a folded letter or envelope carried before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, with postage shown entirely by hand-struck marks like FP 3. 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 Bicholim FP 3 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (—). 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 Bicholim
1 markOne other pre-1854 postal marking of Bicholim 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: Bicholim FP 3, Bicholim FP3, Bicholim Giles FP 3, Bicholim handstamp, Bicholim pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Bicholim FP 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/goa/bicholim/fp-3 (accessed 25 July 2026).
Updated: 25 Jul 2026