Post office · Madras Presidency
Mangalore
- Handstamps
- 6
- Recorded
- 1828–1859
- Rare
- 2
Mangalore is the administrative headquarters of South Kanara District, Madras Presidency, on the shore of the Indian Ocean, situated 12°52' N and 74°51' E. Captured by the East India Company in 1781, but surrendered to Tippoo Sultan, after a heroic defence by Colonel Campbell. It was recaptured in 1799.
Mangalore has 6 pre-1854 hand-struck postal markings dated 1828–1859 recorded in this census. Each figure links to its covers, rarity and provenance.
Brown border = community submission, verified by editors
Mangalore handstamp summary
All recorded markings at a glance — click any row for full details and covers.
Frequently asked — Mangalore postal history
- What are the pre stamp covers of Mangalore?
- Pre stamp (pre philatelic) covers of Mangalore are folded letters and envelopes that passed through the Mangalore post office before India's first adhesive stamp of 1854, so postage was shown entirely by hand-struck postal markings and manuscript rates. Mangalore was a post office of the Madras Presidency, British India, and this census records 6 distinct postal markings used there, dated between 1828 and 1859.
- How many handstamps are recorded for Mangalore?
- 6 hand-struck postal markings are recorded for Mangalore in this census, of which 2 are graded rare or better. Each mark carries its Hammond Giles catalogue figure number, colour, date range, evidence-based rarity grade, and links to every surviving cover recorded with it.
- What is Mangalore called today?
- Mangalore is the colonial-era name of present-day Mangaluru, India. Covers and postmarks are catalogued here under the historical name used on the marks themselves.
- How do I identify a Mangalore postmark or cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impressions on this page — each figure shows the mark's design, ink colour and recorded date range. If your Mangalore cover bears a mark that matches a figure, open that figure's page to see every recorded example with provenance. If it matches none, it may be unrecorded: submit photographs through the form on this page and the editors will review it for inclusion in the census.
Also searched as: Mangalore, Mangaluru, Mangalore HG 1, Mangalore handstruck stamps, Mangalore pre stamp covers, Mangalore postal history.
How to cite
“Mangalore, Madras Presidency — pre-1854 handstruck stamps & covers,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/mangalore (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026
An unrecorded mark from Mangalore?
If you hold a cover or strike from Mangalore that does not match any figure above, submit it below. Approved additions appear here as new entries in the census — every submission is reviewed first.
Same presidency
Other post offices in the Madras Presidency
Explore the pre-1854 postal history of other Madras Presidency post offices — each page lists its recorded handstruck markings, dates and surviving covers.