Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Cuddalore HG 3
- Colour & date
- Mauve1823
- Rarity
- Very scarce
- Note
- Used with
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 73
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Cuddalore HG 3 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 Cuddalore HG 3 handstamp
Cuddalore is in the District of South Arcot, Madras Presidency, on the trunk road from Trichinopoly to Madras, 118 miles from the latter, situated 11°30' N and 11°52' E. The E.I.C. obtained a formal lease in 1684 and built Fort St. David to protect the place.
Cuddalore HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Cuddalore in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1823. Known strikes are in mauve. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 3".
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 "Very scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for cuddalore pre stamp covers, cuddalore postal history or "Cuddalore HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Cuddalore marks.
Used with
Frequently asked
- What is the Cuddalore HG 3 handstamp?
- Cuddalore HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Cuddalore in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1823. The "HG 3" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in mauve.
- How rare is Cuddalore HG 3?
- Cuddalore HG 3 is graded "Very scarce" 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 Cuddalore pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Cuddalore 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. 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 Cuddalore 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 (1823). 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 Cuddalore
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Cuddalore 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: Cuddalore HG 3, Cuddalore HG3, Cuddalore Giles 3, Cuddalore handstamp, Cuddalore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Cuddalore HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/cuddalore/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026