Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Umbalah HG 13
- Colour & date
- Red1852
- Rarity
- Scarce
- Figure
- 13
- Submitted by
- Gowtham BJ
Census
Census records
2 covers recorded2 pre-1854 covers bearing the Umbalah HG 13 handstamp are recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Umbalah HG 13 handstamp
Umbalah HG 13 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Umbalah — the present-day Ambala — in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1852. Known strikes are in red. Its "HG 13" designation is the figure number assigned in the Hammond Giles catalogue of the handstruck postage stamps of India.
2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance. On the strength of that count the mark is graded "Scarce" — the grade moves automatically as new covers are recorded. Collectors searching for umbalah pre-stamp covers, umbalah postal history or "Umbalah HG13" material can compare HG 13 across every office or browse the rest of the Umbalah marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Umbalah HG 13 handstamp?
- Umbalah HG 13 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Umbalah (modern Ambala) in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1852. The "HG 13" 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 Umbalah HG 13?
- Umbalah HG 13 is graded "Scarce" in this census. Rarity here is evidence-based: it is derived from the number of surviving covers actually recorded, not estimated. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each with images and provenance.
- What does an Umbalah pre-stamp cover with HG 13 look like?
- A pre-stamp (pre-philatelic) cover from Umbalah 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 13. 2 surviving covers bearing this mark are recorded in the census, each 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 an Umbalah HG 13 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1852). 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.
Suggest a correction
Spotted a wrong date, colour or rarity? Propose a change — every suggestion is reviewed before it is applied.
Also searched as: Umbalah HG 13, Umbalah HG13, Umbalah Giles 13, Ambala postal history, Umbalah handstamp, Umbalah pre-stamp cover.
How to cite
“Umbalah HG 13 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/umbalah/hg-13 (accessed 12 July 2026).
Updated: 12 Jul 2026