North Western Provinces · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Benares HG 18
- Colour & date
- Black1851–1854
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1993 Supplement · p. 8
- Figure
- 18
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Benares HG 18 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 Benares HG 18 handstamp
Benares, with its cantonment, is situated 25°18' N, and 83°1' E, on the left bank of the Ganges River in the United Provinces. It was ruled by the Nawab of Oudh until 1776, when he ceded it to the British. Scene of serious disorders in the uprising in 1857.
Benares HG 18 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Benares — the present-day Varanasi — in the North Western Provinces, British India, in recorded use from 1851 to 1854. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1993 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 18".
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 benares pre stamp covers, benares postal history or "Benares HG18" material can compare HG 18 across every office or browse the rest of the Benares marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Benares HG 18 handstamp?
- Benares HG 18 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Benares (modern Varanasi) in the North Western Provinces, British India, in recorded use from 1851 to 1854. The "HG 18" 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 Benares HG 18?
- Benares HG 18 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 Benares pre stamp cover with HG 18 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Benares 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 18. 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 Benares HG 18 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1851–1854). 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 Benares
18 marks18 other pre-1854 postal markings of Benares are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Benares HG 1handstampBlack1810–1820
- Benares HG 2handstampBlack1811
- Benares HG 3handstampBlack1824–1836
- Benares HG 4handstampBlack1827-35
- Benares HG 5handstampBlack1829
- Benares HG 6handstampBlack1832–1835
- Benares HG 7handstampRed1840-53
- Benares HG 8handstampBlack1839–1852
- Benares HG 9handstampRed1839-45
- Benares HG 10handstampRed1839
- Benares HG 11handstampBlack1850–1856
- Benares HG 12handstampRed1845–1850
- Benares HG 13handstampBlack1847-53
- Benares HG 14handstampRed1844
- Benares HG 15handstampBlack1847–1852
- Benares HG 16handstampBlack1845–1851
- Benares HG 17handstampRed1854
- Benares MN 1manuscript1808
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Benares HG 18, Benares HG18, Benares Giles 18, Varanasi postal history, Benares handstamp, Benares pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Benares HG 18 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/n-w-provinces/benares/hg-18 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026