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Hand Struck Stamps

Post office · Madras Presidency

Camp

Handstamps
8
Recorded
1792–1824
Rare
6

"Camp" markings were used at temporary, travelling field post offices that accompanied military columns and touring officials in the Madras Presidency, rather than at a fixed town.

Camp has 8 pre-1854 hand-struck postal markings dated 1792–1824 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.

Also known as: Camp Post Office, Camp POView on Google Maps

Manuscript markings

3 marks

Before handstamps were introduced, postmasters wrote postal details by hand — these manuscript markings pre-date the struck marks above.

Brown border = community submission, verified by editors

Camp handstamp summary

All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.

MarkTypeColourDatesRarity
HG 1HandstampBlack1799Rare
HG 2HandstampBlackRed1803–1824Common
HG 2AHandstampBlackScarce
HG 3HandstampBlack18151 example recorded
HG 4HandstampBlack18151 example recorded
MN 1Manuscript1792–17941 example recorded
MN 2Manuscript1815Rare
MN 3Manuscript1824Rare

Frequently asked — Camp postal history

What are the pre stamp covers of Camp?
Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Camp are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Camp post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Camp was a post office of the Madras Presidency, British India, and this census records 8 distinct postal markings used there, dated between 1792 and 1824.
How many handstamps are recorded for Camp?
8 hand-struck postal markings are recorded for Camp in this census, of which 6 are graded rare or better. Each mark carries its Hammond Giles catalogue figure number, colour, date range, evidence-based rarity grade, and links to every surviving cover recorded with it.
How do I identify a Camp postmark or cover?
Compare your cover against the reference impressions on this page — each figure shows the mark's design, ink colour and recorded date range. If your Camp cover bears a mark that matches a figure, open that figure's page to see every recorded example with provenance. If it matches none, it may be unrecorded: submit photographs through the form on this page and the editors will review it for inclusion in the census.

Also searched as: Camp, Camp Post Office, Camp PO, Camp HG 1, Camp handstruck stamps, Camp pre stamp covers, Camp postal history.

How to cite

Camp, Madras Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/camp (accessed 11 August 2026).

Updated: 11 Aug 2026

An unrecorded mark from Camp?

If you hold a cover or strike from Camp that does not match any figure above, submit it below. Approved additions appear here as new entries in the census — every submission is reviewed first.

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Same presidency

Other post offices in the Madras Presidency

Explore the pre-1854 postal history of other Madras Presidency post offices — each page lists its recorded handstruck markings, dates and surviving covers.