Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Vellore HG 1A
- Colour & date
- Black1813
- Rarity
- 1 example recorded
- Figure
- 1A
- Submitted by
- Arvind
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Vellore HG 1A handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Vellore HG 1A handstamp
Vellore HG 1A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Vellore in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1813. Known strikes are in black. Its "HG 1A" 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 "1 example recorded" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for vellore pre-stamp covers, vellore postal history or "Vellore HG1A" material can compare HG 1A across every office or browse the rest of the Vellore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Vellore HG 1A handstamp?
- Vellore HG 1A is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Vellore in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1813. The "HG 1A" 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 Vellore HG 1A?
- Vellore HG 1A has 1 example recorded 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 Vellore pre-stamp cover with HG 1A look like?
- A pre-stamp (pre-philatelic) cover from Vellore 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 Vellore 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 (1813). 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.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Vellore HG 1A, Vellore HG1A, Vellore Giles 1A, Vellore handstamp, Vellore pre-stamp cover.
How to cite
“Vellore HG 1A — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/vellore/hg-1a (accessed 12 July 2026).
Updated: 12 Jul 2026