Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Banda HG 4 handstamp has been recorded yet. If you hold one, submit it below.
No covers bearing this mark have been recorded yet. If you hold one, your submission — once reviewed — will appear here.
About this mark
The Banda HG 4 handstamp
Banda is a city and municipal board in Banda district, Uttar Pradesh, in the Bundelkhand region.
Banda HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Banda in the North Western Provinces, British India, recorded in use around 1846. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1993 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 4".
No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Common" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for banda pre stamp covers, banda postal history or "Banda HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Banda marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Banda HG 4 handstamp?
- Banda HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Banda in the North Western Provinces, British India, recorded in use around 1846. The "HG 4" 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 Banda HG 4?
- Banda 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. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example.
- What does a Banda pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Banda 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. No surviving cover bearing this mark has been recorded in the census yet — if you hold one, it may be the first recorded example. Each census record on this page links to full cover images, dates and auction provenance.
- How do I identify or submit a Banda 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 (1846). 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 Banda
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Banda 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: Banda HG 4, Banda HG4, Banda Giles 4, Banda handstamp, Banda pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Banda HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/n-w-provinces/banda/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026