Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Covilputy HG 2
- Colour & date
- Blue1849
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 73
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Covilputy HG 2 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Covilputy HG 2 handstamp
Covilputy (Koilpatti), in the Sattur taluk of Tinnevelly District, Madras Presidency, IS situated 9°10' N and 77°52' E.
Covilputy HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Covilputy — the present-day Kovilpatti — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1849. Known strikes are in blue. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 2".
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 "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for covilputy pre stamp covers, covilputy postal history or "Covilputy HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Covilputy marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Covilputy HG 2 handstamp?
- Covilputy HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Covilputy (modern Kovilpatti) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1849. The "HG 2" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in blue.
- How rare is Covilputy HG 2?
- Covilputy 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. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance.
- What does a Covilputy pre stamp cover with HG 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Covilputy 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 Covilputy 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 (1849). 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 Covilputy
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Covilputy 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: Covilputy HG 2, Covilputy HG2, Covilputy Giles 2, Kovilpatti postal history, Covilputy handstamp, Covilputy pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Covilputy HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/covilputy/hg-2 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026