Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Arnee HG 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 Arnee HG 3 handstamp
Arnee is situated 12°41' N and 79°17' E, in North Arcot District, Madras Presidency. At one time a large military station, testified by long lines of barracks, fast falling into disrepair. A considerable industry of the manufacture of silk and cotton fabrics is carried on in the town.
Arnee HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Arnee — the present-day Arani — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1849. 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".
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 "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for arnee pre stamp covers, arnee postal history or "Arnee HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Arnee marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Arnee HG 3 handstamp?
- Arnee HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Arnee (modern Arani) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1849. 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 Arnee HG 3?
- Arnee 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. 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 an Arnee pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Arnee 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. 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 an Arnee 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 (1849). 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 Arnee
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Arnee 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: Arnee HG 3, Arnee HG3, Arnee Giles 3, Arani postal history, Arnee handstamp, Arnee pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Arnee HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/arnee/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026