Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Vellore HG 2
- Date Span
- 1815-16
- Colour
- Black
- Rarity
- Common
- Note
- Oval
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 210
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
2 covers recorded2 pre-1854 covers bearing the Vellore HG 2 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Vellore HG 2 handstamp
Vellore is in North Arcot District, Madras Presidency, situated 12°55' N and 79°9' E, on the right bank of the Palar River, 87 miles from Madras. Shortly after 1760, Vellore was occupied by an East India Company garrison, and was unusuccessfully attacked by Haidar Ali in 1780. A mutiny occurred in 1806, when a large number of European soldiers were massacred by the sepoys. The Mysore princes were attributed to have caused the mutiny, and were thereafter removed to Bengal.
Vellore HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Vellore in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1815 to 1816. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 2".
2 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 "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for vellore pre stamp covers, vellore postal history or "Vellore HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Vellore marks.
Oval
Frequently asked
- What is the Vellore HG 2 handstamp?
- Vellore HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Vellore in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1815 to 1816. The "HG 2" 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 2?
- Vellore HG 2 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Vellore pre stamp cover with HG 2 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 2. 2 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 Vellore HG 2 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1815-16). 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 Vellore
6 marks6 other pre-1854 postal markings of Vellore 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: Vellore HG 2, Vellore HG2, Vellore Giles 2, Vellore handstamp, Vellore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Vellore HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/vellore/hg-2 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026