Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Combaconum HG 2
- Date Span
- 1844-45
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 2000 Supplement · p. 6
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Combaconum HG 2 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 Combaconum HG 2 handstamp
Combaconum is situated 10°58' N and 79°22' E, in Tanjore District, Madras Presidency, on the banks of the Cauvery River. It is one of the oldest places in South India, and had a District Court as early as 1806, and was the headquarters of the Roman Catholic bishop of the French Mission.
Combaconum HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Combaconum — the present-day Kumbakonam — in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 1845. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 2000 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 2".
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 combaconum pre stamp covers, combaconum postal history or "Combaconum HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Combaconum marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Combaconum HG 2 handstamp?
- Combaconum HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Combaconum (modern Kumbakonam) in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1844 to 1845. 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 Combaconum HG 2?
- Combaconum HG 2 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 Combaconum pre stamp cover with HG 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Combaconum 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. 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 Combaconum 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 (1844-45). 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 Combaconum
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Combaconum 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: Combaconum HG 2, Combaconum HG2, Combaconum Giles 2, Kumbakonam postal history, Combaconum handstamp, Combaconum pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Combaconum HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/combaconum/hg-2 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026