Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Bimlipatam HG 2
- Colour & date
- Red1856–1860
- Rarity
- Scarce
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- India Study Circle IP214
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Bimlipatam HG 2 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Bimlipatam HG 2 handstamp
Bheemunipatnam (Bhimili) is a coastal town and suburb of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh — one of the oldest municipalities in India.
Bimlipatam HG 2 is a early Indian handstruck postal marking of the post office at Bimlipatam — the present-day Bheemunipatnam — in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1856 to 1860. Known strikes are in red. Its "HG 2" designation is the figure number assigned in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for bimlipatam pre stamp covers, bimlipatam postal history or "Bimlipatam HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Bimlipatam marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Bimlipatam HG 2 handstamp?
- Bimlipatam HG 2 is a early Indian handstruck postal marking of Bimlipatam (modern Bheemunipatnam) in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1856 to 1860. The "HG 2" 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 2?
- Bimlipatam HG 2 is graded "Scarce" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance.
- What does a Bimlipatam pre stamp cover with HG 2 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 2. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, 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 Bimlipatam HG 2 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1856–1860). 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 2, Bimlipatam HG2, Bimlipatam Giles 2, Bheemunipatnam postal history, Bimlipatam handstamp, Bimlipatam pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Bimlipatam HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/bimlipatam/hg-2 (accessed 4 October 2026).
Updated: 4 Oct 2026