Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Kangra HG 1
- Date Span
- 1852
- Colour
- Black
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 113
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Kangra HG 1 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Kangra HG 1 handstamp
Kangra is in the Punjab, situated 30°5' N and 76°16' E. It was besieged by the Gurkhas durin g 1806-9, who were repelled, with the help of Jai Singh-, who afterwards appropriated the fort for himself. It was held by the Sikhs until the Jullunder Doab was ceded to the East India Company in 1846.
Kangra HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Kangra in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1852. Known strikes are in black. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 1".
A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, 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 kangra pre stamp covers, kangra postal history or "Kangra HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Kangra marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Kangra HG 1 handstamp?
- Kangra HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Kangra in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1852. The "HG 1" 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 Kangra HG 1?
- Kangra 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. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, with images and provenance.
- What does a Kangra pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Kangra 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. A single surviving cover bearing this mark is recorded in the census, 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 Kangra 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 (1852). 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 Kangra
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Kangra 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: Kangra HG 1, Kangra HG1, Kangra Giles 1, Kangra handstamp, Kangra pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Kangra HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/kangra/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026