Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Palamcotah HG 1A
- Colour & date
- Black1792
- Rarity
- 1 example recorded
- Figure
- 1A
- Submitted by
- India Study Circle IP218
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Palamcotah HG 1A handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Palamcotah HG 1A handstamp
Palamcottah, the headquarters of Tinnevelly District, Madras Presidency, is situated 8°44 ' N and 77°45' E, on an open plain a mile from the Tambraparni River and 21/2 miles from Tinnevelly. It was fortified under the native rulers, and its defences were intact when it passed into British hands . It subsequently formed the base of their operations during the Poligar wars.
Palamcotah HG 1A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Palamcotah — the present-day Palayamkottai — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1792. Known strikes are in black. Its "HG 1A" 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 palamcotah pre stamp covers, palamcotah postal history or "Palamcotah HG1A" material can compare HG 1A across every office or browse the rest of the Palamcotah marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Palamcotah HG 1A handstamp?
- Palamcotah HG 1A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Palamcotah (modern Palayamkottai) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1792. The "HG 1A" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in black.
- How rare is Palamcotah HG 1A?
- Palamcotah HG 1A 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 Palamcotah pre stamp cover with HG 1A look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Palamcotah 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 1A. 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 Palamcotah HG 1A cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1792). 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 Palamcotah
10 marks10 other pre-1854 postal markings of Palamcotah are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Palamcotah HG 1handstampBlack1787–1792
- Palamcotah HG 2handstampMauve1819–1823
- Palamcotah HG 3handstampRed1832-36
- Palamcotah HG 3Ahandstamp1829
- Palamcotah HG 4handstampBlack1831-36
- Palamcotah HG 5handstampRed1837-49
- Palamcotah HG 6handstampBlack1838-39
- Palamcotah HG 7handstampRed1856
- Palamcotah HG 8handstampBlack1840
- Palamcotah HG 9handstampRed1838–1841
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Palamcotah HG 1A, Palamcotah HG1A, Palamcotah Giles 1A, Palayamkottai postal history, Palamcotah handstamp, Palamcotah pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Palamcotah HG 1A — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/palamcotah/hg-1a (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026