Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Samulcotah HG 1a
- Colour & date
- Red1834
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1996 Supplement · p. 8
- Figure
- 1a
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Samulcotah HG 1a handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Samulcotah HG 1a 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 1a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Samulcotah — the present-day Samalkot — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1834. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1996 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1a".
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 "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for samulcotah pre stamp covers, samulcotah postal history or "Samulcotah HG1a" material can compare HG 1a across every office or browse the rest of the Samulcotah marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Samulcotah HG 1a handstamp?
- Samulcotah HG 1a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Samulcotah (modern Samalkot) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1834. The "HG 1a" 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 Samulcotah HG 1a?
- Samulcotah HG 1a is graded "Common" 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 Samulcotah pre stamp cover with HG 1a 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 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 Samulcotah 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 (1834). 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 1a, Samulcotah HG1a, Samulcotah Giles 1a, Samalkot postal history, Samulcotah handstamp, Samulcotah pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Samulcotah HG 1a — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/samulcotah/hg-1a (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026