Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Dugshai HG 1
- Date Span
- 1853
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1993 Supplement · p. 14
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Dugshai HG 1 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 Dugshai HG 1 handstamp
Dagshai is one of the oldest cantonment towns in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, set on a hilltop astride the Kalka–Shimla road.
Dugshai HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Dugshai — the present-day Dagshai — in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1853. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1993 Supplement, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
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 dugshai pre stamp covers, dugshai postal history or "Dugshai HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Dugshai marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Dugshai HG 1 handstamp?
- Dugshai HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Dugshai (modern Dagshai) in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1853. 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 Dugshai HG 1?
- Dugshai 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. 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 Dugshai pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Dugshai 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. 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 Dugshai 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 (1853). 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.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Dugshai HG 1, Dugshai HG1, Dugshai Giles 1, Dagshai postal history, Dugshai handstamp, Dugshai pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Dugshai HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/dugshai/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026