Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Manuscript
French Rocks MN 1
- Type
- Manuscript
- Date Span
- 1839–1840
- Rarity
- 1 example recorded
- Figure
- MN1
- Submitted by
- Gowtham BJ
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the French Rocks MN 1 manuscript marking is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The French Rocks MN 1 marking
A small rock In the Trichinopoly District, Madras Presidency, about a mile from Trichinopoly City, situated 10°49' N and 78°43' E. It has two prominences with a sadd le between. In the siege of Trichinopoly by Chanda Sahib and the French, the latter occupied the rock and mounted on it two 18-pounders; hence its name.
French Rocks MN 1 is a pre-1854 manuscript postal marking of the post office at French Rocks — the present-day Pandavapura — in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1839 to 1840. Its "MN 1" 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 "1 example recorded" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for french rocks pre stamp covers, french rocks postal history or "French Rocks MN1" material can compare MN 1 across every office or browse the rest of the French Rocks marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the French Rocks MN 1 marking?
- French Rocks MN 1 is a pre-1854 manuscript postal marking of French Rocks (modern Pandavapura) in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1839 to 1840. The "MN 1" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
- How rare is French Rocks MN 1?
- French Rocks MN 1 has 1 example recorded 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 French Rocks pre stamp cover with MN 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from French Rocks is a folded letter or envelope carried before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, with postage shown entirely by manuscript rate marks like MN 1. 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 French Rocks MN 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1839–1840). 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 French Rocks
1 markOne other pre-1854 postal marking of French Rocks is recorded in the census. Compare it against this mark to place 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: French Rocks MN 1, French Rocks MN1, French Rocks Giles MN 1, Pandavapura postal history, French Rocks handstamp, French Rocks pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“French Rocks MN 1 — manuscript,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/french-rocks/mn-1 (accessed 13 August 2026).
Updated: 13 Aug 2026