COV-2448 — 24 April 1834 Palamcotah HG 3 Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Santosh MS
Census record COV-2448 is a 24 April 1834 pre-stamp cover of British India bearing the Palamcotah HG 3 handstamp of the Madras Presidency, a mark graded “Common” in this census — the only surviving cover with this mark recorded so far.
Date
24 April 1834
Description
1834 Palamcottah – Cornwall entire via Madras & Cape route, with Palamcottah Giles 3 "PALAMCOTTAH/POST PAID" despatch handstamp, date "24 April 1834" & rate "Dbl 1R2A" (rate was 8A for a single letter sent between 400–500 miles; this was a double letter as it weighed between 1–2 tolahs, hence paid 1R inland & 2A as outward sea postage for a letter not exceeding 3 tolahs) applied in manuscript. At Madras, Giles SD11 "OUT STATION/MADRAS/29 AP 29/1834/SHIP LETTER" & Giles MX4 "MADRAS/29 AP 29/1834" transit marks applied. Sent to the UK via the Cape route & entered there via Brighton port; there "INDIA LETTER/BRIGHTON" transit handstamp & rate "2/4" (2s 4d comprising 2s Brighton–Cornwall double-letter inland postage + 4d India incoming sea postage) applied & obliterated. New "3/4" (this time 3s calculated as treble-letter inland postage + 4d India incoming sea postage) applied in manuscript, sent to Cornwall, & there "G/4 DE 4/1834" delivery mark applied.