Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Lahore HG 4
- Colour & date
- Red1851
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 123
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Lahore HG 4 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 Lahore HG 4 handstamp
Lahore City is the Capital of the Punjab, situated 31°35' N and 74°20' E, on the Ravi river, 298 miles from Delhi. The possession of Lahore changed hands many times, and the period of Mughal rule was the golden time of its history. The rise of Ranjit Singh in the 19th century brought it under Sikh influence, but this declined after the first Sikh War, and in 1846, when a Council of Regency was established, and the British Resident became the central authority in ' Lahore. In 1849, after the conclusion of the second Sikh War, Maharajah Dalip Singh resigned the government to the East India Company.
Lahore HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Lahore in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 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 4".
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 lahore pre stamp covers, lahore postal history or "Lahore HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Lahore marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Lahore HG 4 handstamp?
- Lahore HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Lahore in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1851. The "HG 4" 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 Lahore HG 4?
- Lahore HG 4 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 Lahore pre stamp cover with HG 4 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Lahore 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 4. 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 Lahore HG 4 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1851). 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 Lahore
9 marks9 other pre-1854 postal markings of Lahore 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: Lahore HG 4, Lahore HG4, Lahore Giles 4, Lahore handstamp, Lahore pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Lahore HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/lahore/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026