Madras Presidency · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Vizianagarum HG 3
- Colour & date
- Black1837
- Rarity
- Very scarce
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 212
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Vizianagarum HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Vizianagarum HG 3 handstamp
Vizianagarum is in Vizagapatam District, Madras Presidency, 522 miles from Madras and 507 from Calcutta, 16 miles from the sea, and is situated 18°7' N and 83°25' E. There is a fort in which the Raja had his residence, and nearby there is a large cantonment.
Vizianagarum HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Vizianagarum — the present-day Vizianagaram — in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1837. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 3".
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 "Very scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for vizianagarum pre stamp covers, vizianagarum postal history or "Vizianagarum HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Vizianagarum marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Vizianagarum HG 3 handstamp?
- Vizianagarum HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Vizianagarum (modern Vizianagaram) in the Madras Presidency, British India, recorded in use around 1837. The "HG 3" 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 Vizianagarum HG 3?
- Vizianagarum HG 3 is graded "Very scarce" 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 Vizianagarum pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Vizianagarum 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 3. 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 Vizianagarum HG 3 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1837). 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 Vizianagarum
5 marks5 other pre-1854 postal markings of Vizianagarum 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: Vizianagarum HG 3, Vizianagarum HG3, Vizianagarum Giles 3, Vizianagaram postal history, Vizianagarum handstamp, Vizianagarum pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Vizianagarum HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/madras/vizianagarum/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026