Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Cuddalore HG 3b
- Colour & date
- Black1828–1834
- Rarity
- Rare
- Figure
- 3b
- Submitted by
- India Study Circle
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Cuddalore HG 3b handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Cuddalore HG 3b 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 3b is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Cuddalore in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1828 to 1834. Known strikes are in black. Its "HG 3b" 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 cuddalore pre stamp covers, cuddalore postal history or "Cuddalore HG3b" material can compare HG 3b across every office or browse the rest of the Cuddalore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Cuddalore HG 3b handstamp?
- Cuddalore HG 3b is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Cuddalore in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1828 to 1834. The "HG 3b" 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 Cuddalore HG 3b?
- Cuddalore HG 3b 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 Cuddalore pre stamp cover with HG 3b 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 3b. 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 Cuddalore HG 3b cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1828–1834). 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 3b, Cuddalore HG3b, Cuddalore Giles 3b, Cuddalore handstamp, Cuddalore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Cuddalore HG 3b — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/cuddalore/hg-3b (accessed 19 August 2026).
Updated: 19 Aug 2026