Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Bimlipatam HG 1
- Date Span
- 1853
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 2000 Supplement · p. 5
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Bimlipatam HG 1 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 Bimlipatam HG 1 handstamp
Bheemunipatnam (Bhimili) is a coastal town and suburb of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh — one of the oldest municipalities in India.
Bimlipatam HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Bimlipatam — the present-day Bheemunipatnam — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1853. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 2000 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
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 bimlipatam pre stamp covers, bimlipatam postal history or "Bimlipatam HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Bimlipatam marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Bimlipatam HG 1 handstamp?
- Bimlipatam HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Bimlipatam (modern Bheemunipatnam) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1853. The "HG 1" 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 Bimlipatam HG 1?
- Bimlipatam HG 1 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 a Bimlipatam pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Bimlipatam 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 1. 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 Bimlipatam HG 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1853). 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 Bimlipatam
1 markOne other pre-1854 postal marking of Bimlipatam 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: Bimlipatam HG 1, Bimlipatam HG1, Bimlipatam Giles 1, Bheemunipatnam postal history, Bimlipatam handstamp, Bimlipatam pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Bimlipatam HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/bimlipatam/hg-1 (accessed 11 August 2026).
Updated: 11 Aug 2026