Punjab · Pre-1854 Handstamp
Umritsur HG 3
- Date Span
- 1853
- Colour
- Red
- Rarity
- Common
- Catalogue
- 1989 Catalogue · p. 210
- Figure
- 3
- Submitted by
- D. Hammond Giles
Census
Census records
1 cover recorded1 pre-1854 cover bearing the Umritsur HG 3 handstamp is recorded below — each entry links to images, provenance and auction details.
About this mark
The Umritsur HG 3 handstamp
Umritsur (Amritsar) is the headquarters of Umritsur District, Punjab, and holy city of the Sikhs, situated 31°38' N and 74°53' E, on the Grand Trunk Road, 33 miles east of Lahore, 1232 miles from Calcutta, 1260 from Bombay, and 816 from Karachi.
Umritsur HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of the post office at Umritsur — the present-day Amritsar — in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1853. Known strikes are in red. It is listed in 1989 Catalogue, where each marking of British India is assigned a figure number — hence "HG 3".
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 umritsur pre stamp covers, umritsur postal history or "Umritsur HG3" material can compare HG 3 across every office or browse the rest of the Umritsur marks.
Frequently asked
- What is the Umritsur HG 3 handstamp?
- Umritsur HG 3 is a pre-1854 handstruck postal marking of Umritsur (modern Amritsar) in the Punjab, British India, recorded in use around 1853. The "HG 3" 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 Umritsur HG 3?
- Umritsur HG 3 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 an Umritsur pre stamp cover with HG 3 look like?
- A pre stamp (pre philatelic) cover from Umritsur 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 3. 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 an Umritsur HG 3 cover?
- Compare your cover against the reference impression and recorded examples on this page — check the mark's shape, colour and date range (1853). 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 Umritsur
2 marks2 other pre-1854 postal markings of Umritsur 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: Umritsur HG 3, Umritsur HG3, Umritsur Giles 3, Amritsar postal history, Umritsur handstamp, Umritsur pre stamp cover.
How to cite
“Umritsur HG 3 — handstamp,” Hand Struck Stamps, https://handstruckstampsindia.com/punjab/umritsur/hg-3 (accessed 10 August 2026).
Updated: 10 Aug 2026