Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Rawalpindee HG 1
- Colour & date
- Black1849
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 180
- Figure
- 1
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Rawalpindee HG 1 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Rawalpindee HG 1 handstamp
Rawalpindee, headquarters of Rawalpindee District, Punjab, on the Grand Trunk road, on the north bank of the Leh River, and separating the town from the cantonments, is situated 33°36' N and 737 E. Here, in 1849, the Sikh army under Chattar Singh and Sher Singh finally laid down their arms after the battle of Gujrat.
Rawalpindee HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Rawalpindee — the present-day Rawalpindi — in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1849. 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 rawalpindee pre stamp covers, rawalpindee postal history or "Rawalpindee HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Rawalpindee marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Rawalpindee HG 1 handstamp?
- Rawalpindee HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Rawalpindee (modern Rawalpindi) in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1849. 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 Rawalpindee HG 1?
- Rawalpindee 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 Rawalpindee pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Rawalpindee 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 Rawalpindee 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 (1849). 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 Rawalpindee
3 marks3 other pre-1854 postal markings of Rawalpindee 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: Rawalpindee HG 1, Rawalpindee HG1, Rawalpindee Giles 1, Rawalpindi postal history, Rawalpindee handstamp, Rawalpindee pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Rawalpindee HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/rawalpindee/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026