Spencer Carbine Cartridge - Mac Mason Lettering

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Item: Spencer Carbine Cartridge - Mac Mason Lettering
Condition: Excellent, excavated. The metal cartridge has a brown-green patina with no cracks, dents, breaks, or repairs. 
Approximate size: 1.69 inch overall length, .560 inch (14.2 mm) cartridge case diameter just above rim, .560 inch (14.2 mm) cartridge case diameter just below bullet.
Recovered: Cold Harbor, VA
Reference:  M&M p. 59,  M&M II: p. 90, Thomas' RBTR Part Two: p. 384 & T&T: p. 20 item 87.
Comments: What makes this fine Civil War Spencer cartridge special is the fact that it is from the collection of the legendary Virginia relic hunter Mac Mason. Mac Mason was a historian, author, and artist who applied his skillful and artistic lettering to many Civil War artifacts. This cartridge is one of those artifacts and is marked with his recognizable lettering style. Marked in black ink on one side of the cartridge casing is:  "56-50 / SPENCER / COLD HARBOR / VA." indicating Spencer cartridge type and location recovered. Interestingly, Mac Mason incorrectly identified the cartridge as a "56-50" when, in fact, it is a ".56-56" Spencer cartridge. Click the preceding link to read more about these particular cartridges. Among the books Mac Mason co-authored is "Civil War Projectiles II Small Arms & Field Artillery with Supplement" which is still widely used by diggers and collectors in the identification of Civil War bullets, cartridges, artillery shells and fuzes. In the additional images in this listing is an image of Mac Mason and additional information about him from the above mentioned book. Also pictured is page 59 from the 1971 edition of "Civil War Projectiles Small Arms & Field Artillery" showing an example of another similar, but not exact, Spencer cartridge with Mason's writing. The Spencer cartridge offered here will be an excellent addition to any excavated Civil War cartridge, bullet, Mac Mason, or general relic collection.

Product Code:
PC1616

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