

Burma · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Tongnoo FP 1
- Colour & date
- Black1854–1855
- Rarity
- Very scarce
- Figure
- FP1
- Submitted by
- Andrew Titley
Census
Census records
11 covers recorded11 pre-1854 covers bearing the Tongnoo FP 1 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Tongnoo FP 1 handstamp
Taungoo (Burmese: တောင်ငူမြို့), historically also spelled Toungoo or Toung-ngú, is a city in the Bago Region of Myanmar. It lies approximately 220 kilometres (137 miles) north of Yangon, in a broad valley bordered by mountain ranges to the east and west. Taungoo is an important administrative and commercial centre and serves as the principal city of Taungoo District. Its location has historically made it an important link between Lower and Upper Myanmar and between the central plains and the eastern hill regions. The city is particularly significant in Burmese history as the birthplace of the Toungoo dynasty, which emerged in the 16th century and eventually established one of the largest empires in the history of Southeast Asia. Today, Taungoo remains an important regional centre within the Bago Region.
Tongnoo FP 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Tongnoo — the present-day Taungoo — in the Burma, British India, in recorded use from 1854 to 1855. Known strikes are in black. Its "FP 1" designation is the figure number assigned in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
11 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 "Very scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for tongnoo pre stamp covers, tongnoo postal history or "Tongnoo FP1" material can compare FP 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Tongnoo marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Tongnoo FP 1 handstamp?
- Tongnoo FP 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Tongnoo (modern Taungoo) in the Burma, British India, in recorded use from 1854 to 1855. The "FP 1" 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 Tongnoo FP 1?
- Tongnoo FP 1 is graded "Very scarce" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 11 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Tongnoo pre stamp cover with FP 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Tongnoo 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 1. 11 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 Tongnoo FP 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1854–1855). 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.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Tongnoo FP 1, Tongnoo FP1, Tongnoo Giles FP 1, Taungoo postal history, Tongnoo handstamp, Tongnoo pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Tongnoo FP 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/burma/tongnoo/fp-1 (accessed 13 November 2026).
Updated: 13 Nov 2026











