Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Nellore HG 3
- Colour & date
- Red1845–1855
- Rarity
- Scarce
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- robert siegel auctions
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Nellore HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Nellore HG 3 handstamp
Nellore, headquarters of the District, Madras Presidency, is situated 14°27'N and 79°59' E, on the right bank of the Penner River, on the great northern road from Madras to Calcutta, 109 miles north of Madras City. First attained historical importance in the 18th Century, when the English and French were contesting the supremacy of Southern India. After the defeat of Tipu, Nellore came permanently under British control in 1801.
Nellore HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Nellore in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1845 to 1855. Known strikes are in red. Its "HG 3" 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 "Scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for nellore pre stamp covers, nellore postal history or "Nellore HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Nellore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Nellore HG 3 handstamp?
- Nellore HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Nellore in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1845 to 1855. The "HG 3" 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 Nellore HG 3?
- Nellore HG 3 is graded "Scarce" 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 Nellore pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Nellore 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 3. 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 Nellore HG 3 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1845–1855). 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 Nellore
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Nellore 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: Nellore HG 3, Nellore HG3, Nellore Giles 3, Nellore handstamp, Nellore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Nellore HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/nellore/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026