COV-2478 — 18 August 1851 Rawalpindee HG 2 Cover
Scan or Photo Courtesy of Santosh MS
Census record COV-2478 is a 18 August 1851 pre-stamp cover of British India bearing the Rawalpindee HG 2 handstamp of the Punjab, a mark graded “Common” in this census — the only surviving cover with this mark recorded so far.
Date
18 August 1851
Description
1851 Rawalpindee – London overland entire via Marseilles route, with Giles 2 "RAWALPINDEE /18.. AUG./WEIGHT TOLA/PAID" hand stamp, date "9" & rate "15" (paid 15A for a letter weighing between ¼ & 1 tolah, travelling over 1400 miles) applied in manuscript. At Bombay, Giles G4 "BOMBAY/AU 21/1851/GPO" & SD6 "INDIA" transit marks applied. On 1st September sent to Suez via EIC steamer AJDAHA, then travelled overland to Alexandria & from there sent to Malta via H.M.'s packet MERLIN, from there sent to Marseilles via H.M.'s packet CARADOC, and later at London "Y/2 OC 2/1851" receipt mark applied. 1s10d bearing postage (comprising 1s5d British rate & 5d French rate, for a letter under ¼ oz.) was collected from the recipient.