Census
Census records
3 covers recorded3 pre-1854 covers bearing the Kotah HG 1 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Kotah HG 1 handstamp
Kotah, capital of the State in Rajputana, situated on the right bank of the Chambal river, 25°11' N and 75°51' E, about 120 miles south-east of Ajmer.
Kotah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Kotah — the present-day Kota — in the North Western Provinces, British India, in recorded use from 1840 to 1851. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
3 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 kotah pre stamp covers, kotah postal history or "Kotah HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Kotah marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Kotah HG 1 handstamp?
- Kotah HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Kotah (modern Kota) in the North Western Provinces, British India, in recorded use from 1840 to 1851. The "HG 1" 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 Kotah HG 1?
- Kotah HG 1 is graded "Common" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 3 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does a Kotah pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Kotah 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 1. 3 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 Kotah HG 1 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1840-51). 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 Kotah
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Kotah 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: Kotah HG 1, Kotah HG1, Kotah Giles 1, Kota postal history, Kotah handstamp, Kotah pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Kotah HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/n-w-provinces/kotah/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026