Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Trivandrum HG 2a
- Colour & date
- Blue1839
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 2000 Supplement · p. 14
- Figure
- 2a
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Trivandrum HG 2a handstamp has been recorded yet. If you hold one, submit it below.
No covers bearing this mark have been recorded yet. If you hold one, your submission — once reviewed — will appear here.
About this mark
The Trivandrum HG 2a handstamp
Thiruvananthapuram, also known as Trivandrum, is the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala — the most populous city in the state, on the west coast near the southern tip of mainland India.
Trivandrum HG 2a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Trivandrum — the present-day Thiruvananthapuram — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1839. Known strikes are in blue. It is listed in 2000 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 2a".
No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for trivandrum pre stamp covers, trivandrum postal history or "Trivandrum HG2a" material can compare HG 2a across every office or browse the rest of the Trivandrum marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Trivandrum HG 2a handstamp?
- Trivandrum HG 2a is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Trivandrum (modern Thiruvananthapuram) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1839. The "HG 2a" designation is its figure number in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India. Known strikes are in blue.
- How rare is Trivandrum HG 2a?
- Trivandrum HG 2a is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example.
- What does a Trivandrum pre stamp cover with HG 2a look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Trivandrum 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 2a. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit a Trivandrum HG 2a cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1839). 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 Trivandrum
4 marks4 other pre-1854 postal markings of Trivandrum 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: Trivandrum HG 2a, Trivandrum HG2a, Trivandrum Giles 2a, Thiruvananthapuram postal history, Trivandrum handstamp, Trivandrum pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Trivandrum HG 2a — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/trivandrum/hg-2a (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026