Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Simla HG 1 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Simla HG 1 handstamp
Simla, Punjab, is situated 31°6' N and 7rl0' E, on a transverse spur of the Central Himalayan system, 7084 feet above sea level. After the Gurkha War, a tract of land was retained in 1816, and building started in 1819, to become the sanitarium and summer seat of Government.
Simla HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Simla — the present-day Shimla — in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1832. 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 simla pre stamp covers, simla postal history or "Simla HG1" material can compare HG 1 across every office or browse the rest of the Simla marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Simla HG 1 handstamp?
- Simla HG 1 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Simla (modern Shimla) in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1832. 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 Simla HG 1?
- Simla 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 Simla pre stamp cover with HG 1 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Simla 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 Simla 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 (1832). 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 Simla
9 marks9 other pre-1854 postal markings of Simla 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: Simla HG 1, Simla HG1, Simla Giles 1, Shimla postal history, Simla handstamp, Simla pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Simla HG 1 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/simla/hg-1 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026