North Western Provinces · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Mirzapore HG 2
- Colour & date
- Black1823–1837
- Rarity
- Scarce
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 142
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
3 covers recorded3 pre-1854 covers bearing the Mirzapore HG 2 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Mirzapore HG 2 handstamp
Mirzapore is situated 25°9' N and 82°35' E, on the right bank of the Ganges in Mirzapore District, United Provinces, 509 miles from Calcutta and 891 from Bombay. It became an important trading centre at the close of the eighteenth century.
Mirzapore HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Mirzapore — the present-day Mirzapur — in the North Western Provinces, British India, in recorded use from 1823 to 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 2".
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 "Scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for mirzapore pre stamp covers, mirzapore postal history or "Mirzapore HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Mirzapore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Mirzapore HG 2 handstamp?
- Mirzapore HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Mirzapore (modern Mirzapur) in the North Western Provinces, British India, in recorded use from 1823 to 1837. The "HG 2" 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 Mirzapore HG 2?
- Mirzapore HG 2 is graded "Scarce" 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 Mirzapore pre stamp cover with HG 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Mirzapore 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 2. 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 Mirzapore HG 2 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1823–1837). 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 Mirzapore
12 marks12 other pre-1854 postal markings of Mirzapore are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Mirzapore HG 1handstampBlack1817–1827
- Mirzapore HG 3handstampBlack1826
- Mirzapore HG 4handstampBlack1833-37
- Mirzapore HG 5handstampRed1838-50
- Mirzapore HG 6handstampBlack1838–1839
- Mirzapore HG 7handstampRed1841–1852
- Mirzapore HG 8handstampRed1847–1855
- Mirzapore HG 9handstampBlack1848
- Mirzapore HG 10handstampRed1852
- Mirzapore HG 11handstampRed1854
- Mirzapore HG 12handstampBlack1828–1856
- Mirzapore HG 13handstampRed1846–1851
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Mirzapore HG 2, Mirzapore HG2, Mirzapore Giles 2, Mirzapur postal history, Mirzapore handstamp, Mirzapore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Mirzapore HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/n-w-provinces/mirzapore/hg-2 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026