Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Trivandrum HG 4
- Date Span
- 1850-51
- Colour
- Black
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 207
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Trivandrum HG 4 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Trivandrum HG 4 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 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Trivandrum — the present-day Thiruvananthapuram — in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1850 to 1851. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 4".
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 trivandrum pre stamp covers, trivandrum postal history or "Trivandrum HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Trivandrum marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Trivandrum HG 4 handstamp?
- Trivandrum HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Trivandrum (modern Thiruvananthapuram) in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1850 to 1851. The "HG 4" 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 Trivandrum HG 4?
- Trivandrum HG 4 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 Trivandrum pre stamp cover with HG 4 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 4. 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 Trivandrum HG 4 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1850-51). 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 4, Trivandrum HG4, Trivandrum Giles 4, Thiruvananthapuram postal history, Trivandrum handstamp, Trivandrum pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Trivandrum HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/trivandrum/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026