Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Camp 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 Camp HG 1 handstamp
"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 HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Camp in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1799. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, 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 "Rare" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for camp pre stamp covers, camp postal history or "Camp HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Camp marks.
Rare - known to have been used at Camp at Callingapatam, 12 miles WNW of Chittledroog, Madras.
Frequently asked
- What is the Camp HG 1 handstamp?
- Camp HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Camp in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1799. The "HG 1" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in black.
- How rare is Camp HG 1?
- Camp HG 1 is graded "Rare" 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 Camp pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Camp 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 Camp 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 (1799). 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 Camp
7 marks7 other pre-1854 postal markings of Camp 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: Camp HG 1, Camp HG1, Camp Giles 1, Camp handstamp, Camp pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Camp HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/camp/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026