Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Madura HG 4
- Colour & date
- Red1837–1839
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 134
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Madura HG 4 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 Madura HG 4 handstamp
Madura, headquarters of the same named District in Madras Presidency, on the south bank of the Vaigai River, 345 miles from Madras, is situated 9°55' N. and 78°7' E. Following the defeat of Tippoo Sultan, the District of Madura came into British hands in 1801.
Madura HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Madura — the present-day Madurai — in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1837 to 1839. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 4".
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 madura pre stamp covers, madura postal history or "Madura HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Madura marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Madura HG 4 handstamp?
- Madura HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Madura (modern Madurai) in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1837 to 1839. The "HG 4" 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 Madura HG 4?
- Madura HG 4 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 Madura pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Madura 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 4. 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 Madura HG 4 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1837–1839). 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 Madura
9 marks9 other pre-1854 postal markings of Madura 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: Madura HG 4, Madura HG4, Madura Giles 4, Madurai postal history, Madura handstamp, Madura pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Madura HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/madura/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026