North Western Provinces · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Muttra HG 5
- Date Span
- 1842
- Colour
- Black
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 149
- Figure
- 5
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Muttra HG 5 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 Muttra HG 5 handstamp
Muttra is situated 27°30' N and 77°41' E, on the right bank of the Jumna River, in Muttra District, United Provinces, on the road from Agra to Delhi, 886 miles from Calcutta and 914 from Bombay. Through the ages, the town has been plundered, and fell into the hands of the British in 1803, when it was occupied as a cantonment.
Muttra HG 5 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Muttra — the present-day Mathura — in the North Western Provinces, British India, recorded in use around 1842. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 5".
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 muttra pre stamp covers, muttra postal history or "Muttra HG5" material can compare HG 5 across every office or browse the rest of the Muttra marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Muttra HG 5 handstamp?
- Muttra HG 5 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Muttra (modern Mathura) in the North Western Provinces, British India, recorded in use around 1842. The "HG 5" 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 Muttra HG 5?
- Muttra HG 5 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 Muttra pre stamp cover with HG 5 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Muttra 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 5. 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 Muttra HG 5 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1842). 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 Muttra
10 marks10 other pre-1854 postal markings of Muttra are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Muttra HG AddhandstampBlack1805–1813
- Muttra HG Add.2handstampBlack1823
- Muttra HG 1handstampBlack1823–1836
- Muttra HG 2handstampBlack1832–1836
- Muttra HG 3handstampBlack1832
- Muttra HG 4handstampBlack1832
- Muttra HG 5ahandstampRed1843–1847
- Muttra HG 6handstampRed1845
- Muttra HG 7handstampRed—
- Muttra HG 8handstampBlack—
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Muttra HG 5, Muttra HG5, Muttra Giles 5, Mathura postal history, Muttra handstamp, Muttra pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Muttra HG 5 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/n-w-provinces/muttra/hg-5 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026