Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Negapatam HG 4
- Colour & date
- Red1841–1854
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 156
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
6 covers recorded6 pre-1854 covers bearing the Negapatam HG 4 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Negapatam HG 4 handstamp
Negapatam, a sea port on the Tanjore coast, Madras Presidency, is situated 10°46' N and 79°51' E, 212 miles from Madras. During the first M ysore War, it was captured by an expedition from Madras under Sir Hector Munro. When, in 1799, the Tanjore kingdom came into British hands by treaty, Negapatam became the District headquarters and remained so until 1845. Negapatam and Nagore were incorporated as a single municipality in 1866.
Negapatam HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Negapatam — the present-day Nagapattinam — in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1841 to 1854. 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".
6 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for negapatam pre stamp covers, negapatam postal history or "Negapatam HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Negapatam marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Negapatam HG 4 handstamp?
- Negapatam HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Negapatam (modern Nagapattinam) in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1841 to 1854. 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 Negapatam HG 4?
- Negapatam 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. 6 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Negapatam pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Negapatam 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. 6 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 Negapatam 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 (1841–1854). 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 Negapatam
7 marks7 other pre-1854 postal markings of Negapatam 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: Negapatam HG 4, Negapatam HG4, Negapatam Giles 4, Nagapattinam postal history, Negapatam handstamp, Negapatam pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Negapatam HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/negapatam/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026