Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Chingleput HG 3
- Colour & date
- Red1852
- Rarity
- Rare
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- Argyll Etkin
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Chingleput HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Chingleput HG 3 handstamp
Chengalpattu, previously known as Chingleput, is a town in the Chennai metropolitan area and the headquarters of Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu.
Chingleput HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Chingleput — the present-day Chengalpattu — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1852. Known strikes are in red. Its "HG 3" 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 "Rare" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for chingleput pre stamp covers, chingleput postal history or "Chingleput HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Chingleput marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Chingleput HG 3 handstamp?
- Chingleput HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Chingleput (modern Chengalpattu) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1852. 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 Chingleput HG 3?
- Chingleput HG 3 is graded "Rare" 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 Chingleput pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Chingleput 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. 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 Chingleput 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 (1852). 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 Chingleput
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Chingleput 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: Chingleput HG 3, Chingleput HG3, Chingleput Giles 3, Chengalpattu postal history, Chingleput handstamp, Chingleput pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Chingleput HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/chingleput/hg-3 (accessed 21 August 2026).
Updated: 21 Aug 2026