Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Mooltan HG 2
- Date Span
- 1851
- Colour
- Black
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 143
- Figure
- 2
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Mooltan HG 2 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 Mooltan HG 2 handstamp
Mooltan, headquarters of the same named District, in the Punjab, is situated 300 12'N and 71°31' £, 576 miles from Karachi, and 1429 from Calcutta. It was stormed by Ranjit Singh in 1818, and in 1821 biwan Sawan Mal became its Governor. It was not affected in the 1st Sikh War, but the murder of two British officers, by Mulraj, the Governor's son, led to the 2nd Sikh War, and it was captured in 1849..
Mooltan HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Mooltan — the present-day Multan — in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1851. 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".
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 mooltan pre stamp covers, mooltan postal history or "Mooltan HG2" material can compare HG 2 across every office or browse the rest of the Mooltan marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Mooltan HG 2 handstamp?
- Mooltan HG 2 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Mooltan (modern Multan) in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1851. 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 Mooltan HG 2?
- Mooltan HG 2 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 Mooltan pre stamp cover with HG 2 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Mooltan 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. 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 Mooltan 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 (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 Mooltan
4 marks4 other pre-1854 postal markings of Mooltan 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: Mooltan HG 2, Mooltan HG2, Mooltan Giles 2, Multan postal history, Mooltan handstamp, Mooltan pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Mooltan HG 2 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/mooltan/hg-2 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026