Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Samulcotah HG 1
- Colour & date
- Black1818–1819
- Rarity
- 4 examples recorded
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 184
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
4 covers recorded4 pre-1854 covers bearing the Samulcotah HG 1 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Samulcotah HG 1 handstamp
Samulcotah (Samalkot) is a town in the Cocanada taluk of Godavari District, Madras Presidency, situated 17°}' N and 82°10' E, 7 miles from Cocanada and 391 from Madras. It was formerly a military station, but was abandoned as such in 1869.
Samulcotah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Samulcotah — the present-day Samalkot — in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1818 to 1819. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
4 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 "4 examples recorded" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for samulcotah pre stamp covers, samulcotah postal history or "Samulcotah HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Samulcotah marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Samulcotah HG 1 handstamp?
- Samulcotah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Samulcotah (modern Samalkot) in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1818 to 1819. The "HG 1" 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 Samulcotah HG 1?
- Samulcotah HG 1 has 4 examples recorded in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 4 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Samulcotah pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Samulcotah 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 1. 4 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 Samulcotah HG 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1818–1819). 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 Samulcotah
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Samulcotah 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: Samulcotah HG 1, Samulcotah HG1, Samulcotah Giles 1, Samalkot postal history, Samulcotah handstamp, Samulcotah pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Samulcotah HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/samulcotah/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026