Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Rawalpindee HG 4
- Colour & date
- Red1853–1854
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 180
- Figure
- 4
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
0 covers recordedNo pre stamp cover bearing the Rawalpindee 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 Rawalpindee HG 4 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 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Rawalpindee — the present-day Rawalpindi — in the Punjab, British India, in recorded use from 1853 to 1854. 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 rawalpindee pre stamp covers, rawalpindee postal history or "Rawalpindee HG4" material can compare HG 4 across every office or browse the rest of the Rawalpindee marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Rawalpindee HG 4 handstamp?
- Rawalpindee HG 4 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Rawalpindee (modern Rawalpindi) in the Punjab, British India, in recorded use from 1853 to 1854. 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 Rawalpindee HG 4?
- Rawalpindee 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 Rawalpindee pre stamp cover with HG 4 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 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 Rawalpindee 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 (1853–1854). 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 4, Rawalpindee HG4, Rawalpindee Giles 4, Rawalpindi postal history, Rawalpindee handstamp, Rawalpindee pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Rawalpindee HG 4 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/rawalpindee/hg-4 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026