Skip to content
Hand Struck Stamps
Handstruck stamp of India — Goa FP 4 pre-1854 handstamp, 1842–1865, Red

Goa (Portuguese India) · Pre-1854 Handstamp

Goa FP 4

Handstamp
Colour & date
Red1842–1865
Rarity
Very scarce
Note
Large "GOA"
Figure
FP4
Submitted by
Andrew Titley
← FP 3All GoaFP 5 →

Census

Census records

14 covers recorded

14 pre-1854 covers bearing the Goa FP 4 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3176, 17 August 1842
COV-3176

17 August 1842

PORTUGUESE INDIA, "P.P. GOA" Handstamp. Bold strike of red two-line handstamp on back of folded letter datelined Aug. 17, 1842 and with manuscript "No. 412" and "Post Paid", addressed to Lisbon, Portugal, blue "Por Alexandria" handstamp, rated "240" reis in error and subsequently crossed out and "Franca" boxed handstamp applied, Lisbon (Oct. 8) arrival backstamp, cover with ink bleed, still Very Fine strike

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3192, 21 October 1842
COV-3192

21 October 1842

"P.P. GOA" Handstamp. Clear strike of two-line handstamp in red on back of folded letter datelined Pangim Oct. 21, 1842 to Santarem, Portugal, blue "POR ALEXANDRIA" handstamp, blue "120" reis rate handstamp with manuscript "25" totaling "145", the additional amount for inland postage within Portugal, Lisbon transit datestamp, Extremely Fine strikes of this scarce handstamp, the "Pagov Porte" handstamp was reduced to just "P.P." in this marking

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3212, 21 January 1843
COV-3212

21 January 1843

Postal cover from goa (goa), bearing FP 4 handstamp in Red. Dated 21 January 1843. Note: Large "GOA". Scarce example of postal history from this office.

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3201, 8 June 1844
COV-3201

8 June 1844

Postal cover from goa (goa), bearing FP 4 handstamp in Red. Dated 8 June 1844. Note: Large "GOA". Scarce example of postal history from this office.

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3177, 22 October 1844
COV-3177

22 October 1844

PORTUGUESE INDIA, "P.P. GOA" Handstamp. Red two-line handstamp on back of folded letter datelined Oct. 22, 1844 and with manuscript "No. 696" and "Post Paid", addressed to Lisbon, Portugal, blue "Por Alexandria" and "120" reis rate, the latter in error and crossed out due to prepayment, Lisbon (Dec. 9) arrival datestamp, P.P. Goa marking affected by opening tear, otherwise Very Fine appearance

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3227, 11 May 1845
COV-3227

11 May 1845

Illustrated in Luis and Eduardo Barreiros (p. 57)

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3210, 30 May 1846
COV-3210

30 May 1846

Postal cover from goa (goa), bearing FP 4 handstamp in Red. Dated 30 May 1846. Note: Large "GOA". Scarce example of postal history from this office.

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3179, 20 September 1847
COV-3179

20 September 1847

PORTUGUESE INDIA, "GOA P.P." Handstamp. Lightly struck but clear red handstamp on back of long folded letter datelined Goa Sep. 20, 1847 with red manuscript "No. 443", addressed to Lisbon, Portugal, blue "Por Alexandria" handstamp, manuscript "Part Paid" and "960" reis due, Lisbon (Nov. 7) arrival backstamp across fold, Very Fine, the 960 reis indicates the rate for a cover up to 1 oz.

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3169, 7 May 1849
COV-3169

7 May 1849

PORTUGUESE INDIA, "Margao P.P." Handstamp. Faint red strike on back of folded letter datelined May 7, 1849 with manuscript "Post Paid" and "No. 255", addressed to Lisbon, Portugal, red "GOA P.P." two-line handstamp in transit, blue "Por Alexandria" and "240" reis rate handstamp, Lisbon (Jul. 26) arrival backstamp, Fine and very rare, this is the earlier of the two recorded strikes of this "Margao P.P." handstamp

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3228, 16 July 1849
COV-3228

16 July 1849

Illustrated in Luis and Eduardo Barreiros (p. 57)

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3211, 7 May 1851
COV-3211

7 May 1851

Postal cover from goa (goa), bearing FP 4 handstamp in Red. Dated 7 May 1851. Note: Large "GOA". Scarce example of postal history from this office.

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3193, 14 July 1851
COV-3193

14 July 1851

"GOA P.P." Handstamp. Two-line handstamp in red on back of folded letter datelined Jul. 14, 1851 to Lisbon, Portugal, manuscript "P.P. the Alexandria 2-0-12" on back, blue "POR ALEXANDRIA" and "120" rate handstamps, clearly struck red "Ley de 20/4 50, 5Rs" handstamp, Very Fine, the "Ley de" handstamp is very rare with only two recorded, this is the finer of the two strikes

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3180, 21 August 1855
COV-3180

21 August 1855

PORTUGUESE INDIA, "GOA P.P." Handstamp. Excellent strike of red two-line handstamp on back of folded letter datelined Aug. 21, 1855 and with manuscript "No. 340" and "P.P.", addressed to Lisbon, Portugal, blue "Por Alexandria" and very faint red "Ley de ?, 5rs" handstamp, blue "180" reis rate handstamp, Lisbon (Oct. 27) arrival datestamp, Fine, despite the very light strike of the "Ley de" handstamp, it is very rare with only two examples recorded

Pre-stamp cover of India — Goa FP 4, COV-3184, 3 August 1865
COV-3184

3 August 1865

PORTUGUESE INDIA, "GOA" and "P.N.P." Handstamps. Bold strikes of each handstamp on top flap of registered folded letter datelined New Goa Aug. 3, 1865, addressed to Lisbon, Portugal, additional manuscript "P.N.P." on back and "No. 4" registry marking, "Por Alexandria" handstamp, rated "150" reis on arrival, Lisbon (Sept. 12) arrival datestamp, Very Fine, it is believed only three covers are known with both the "GOA" and "P.N.P." handstamps

Compare FP 4 across every office →

Submit a cover

Have a cover from Goa FP 4?

Front (and back) image required. It is reviewed before publication — nothing appears immediately.

Images * — front & back (0/3)
Auction house (optional)

Type to search registered auction houses

About this mark

The Goa FP 4 handstamp

Goa FP 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Goa in the Goa (Portuguese India), British India, in recorded use from 1842 to 1865. Known strikes are in red. Its "FP 4" designation is the figure number assigned in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.

14 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 goa pre stamp covers, goa postal history or "Goa FP4" material can compare FP 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Goa marks.

Large "GOA"

Frequently asked

What is the Goa FP 4 handstamp?
Goa FP 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Goa in the Goa (Portuguese India), British India, in recorded use from 1842 to 1865. The "FP 4" 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 Goa FP 4?
Goa FP 4 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. 14 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
What does a Goa pre stamp cover with FP 4 look like?
A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Goa 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 4. 14 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 Goa FP 4 cover?
Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1842–1865). 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 Goa

14 marks

14 other pre-1854 postal markings of Goa are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.

View all Goa marks and postal history →

Suggest a correction

Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.

Also searched as: Goa FP 4, Goa FP4, Goa Giles FP 4, Goa handstamp, Goa pre stamp cover.

How to cite

“Goa FP 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/goa/goa/fp-4 (accessed 27 September 2026).

Updated: 27 Sept 2026