Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Vizagapatam HG 7
- Colour & date
- Red1839–1849
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1996 Supplement · p. 9
- Figure
- 7
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Vizagapatam HG 7 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Vizagapatam HG 7 handstamp
Vizagapatam, headquarters of Vizagapatam District, Madras Presiden·cy, 484 miles from Madras and 547 from Calcutta, situated on the east 1r42' N and 83°18' E. In the seventeenth century, the East India Company established here one of its earliest factories. Historically the town can boast of little interest, the only events of any importance that have occurred being the two occupations of the factory, in 1669 by Aurangzeb's forces, and 1757 by the French under Bussy.
Vizagapatam HG 7 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Vizagapatam — the present-day Visakhapatnam — in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1839 to 1849. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1996 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 7".
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 vizagapatam pre stamp covers, vizagapatam postal history or "Vizagapatam HG7" material can compare HG 7 across every office or browse the rest of the Vizagapatam marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Vizagapatam HG 7 handstamp?
- Vizagapatam HG 7 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Vizagapatam (modern Visakhapatnam) in the Madras Presidency, British India, in recorded use from 1839 to 1849. The "HG 7" 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 Vizagapatam HG 7?
- Vizagapatam HG 7 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 Vizagapatam pre stamp cover with HG 7 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Vizagapatam 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 7. 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 Vizagapatam HG 7 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1839–1849). 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 Vizagapatam
7 marks7 other pre-1854 postal markings of Vizagapatam 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: Vizagapatam HG 7, Vizagapatam HG7, Vizagapatam Giles 7, Visakhapatnam postal history, Vizagapatam handstamp, Vizagapatam pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Vizagapatam HG 7 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/vizagapatam/hg-7 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026