What is the Palamcotah HG 3A handstamp?

Palamcotah HG 3A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Palamcotah (modern Palayamkottai) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1829. The "HG 3A" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.

How rare is Palamcotah HG 3A?

Palamcotah HG 3A is graded "Rare" 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 3A 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 3A. 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 3A cover?

Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1829). 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.

Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp

Palamcotah HG 3A

Colour & date: 1829
Rarity: Rare
Figure: 3A
Submitted by: Sigel Auction

← HG 3 All Palamcotah HG 4 →

Census

Census records

1 cover recorded

1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Palamcotah HG 3A handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.

COV-676

1 Feb 1829

India, Palamcotah, 1829, "PALLAMCOTTAH/POST FREE" Circular Handstamp (Giles Unrecorded). Clear and complete strike on back of folded letter datelined Feb. 1, 1829, addressed to Bangalore, Very Fine, a presumably very rare strike as it was not recorded by Giles in his seminal work on Indian postal markings

Compare HG 3A across every office →

About this mark

The Palamcotah HG 3A 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 3A 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 1829. Its "HG 3A" 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 "Rare" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for palamcotah pre stamp covers, palamcotah postal history or "Palamcotah HG3A" material can compare HG 3A across every office or browse the rest of the Palamcotah marks.

Frequently asked

What is the Palamcotah HG 3A handstamp?: Palamcotah HG 3A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Palamcotah (modern Palayamkottai) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1829. The "HG 3A" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
How rare is Palamcotah HG 3A?: Palamcotah HG 3A is graded "Rare" 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 3A 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 3A. 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 3A cover?: Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1829). 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 marks

10 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.

View all Palamcotah marks and postal history →

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 3A, Palamcotah HG3A, Palamcotah Giles 3A, Palayamkottai postal history, Palamcotah handstamp, Palamcotah pre stamp cover.

How to cite

“Palamcotah HG 3A — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/palamcotah/hg-3a (accessed 10 August 2026).

Updated: 10 Aug 2026