Presented are seven original, unused, post-war 56.50 metallic rimfire cartridges still housed in a single, original inner pasteboard package together with a partial original outer pasteboard box lid. A full complement of forty-two cartridges, in six pasteboard packages, would fit inside a marked pasteboard box and lid. Box is missing. All the cartridges are headstamped by Sage Ammunition Works with the mark “S.A.W.” variation on the base of the round’s brass / copper casing. The D.C. Sage Company of Middletown, Connecticut produced and supplied the Army Ordnance Department with the newer .50 caliber carbine cartridges in January 1866.

This rimfire cartridge, produced for the Model 1865 Spencer carbine, was known as the 56-50 Spencer round supplied to the government. Each of the metallic .50 caliber cartridges measures a total length of 1.62” and has a flattop lead bullet fitted to a 1 1/8” long brass cartridge casing. Conical lead head wears a coat of dark gray patina while the brass casings exhibit a mellow bronze patina along with light surface grime. One metallic cartridge has been cleaned and wears a brighter patina.

All seven rounds are housed in a beige-colored pasteboard inner package 4” long x 1 ¾” wide x 5/8” high. Inner package is in very good condition, clean and tight with the closure tab broken off but present. The partial outer pasteboard lid box cover is also in very good condition overall. The beige colored box lid is complete save for one missing side tab of the original four. Pasteboard box lid measures 4½” long x 4¼” wide x 5/8” high. Glued to the outer lid face is the light green paper label (3½” x 2”) which reads, “FORTY-TWO, PRIMED / METALLIC CARTRIDGES, / for SPENCER CARBINE, / Cal. 50, Model 1865 / mfg’d by / SAGE AMMUNITION WORKS / Middletown, Conn.” Label in excellent condition. Outer box shows light surface grime and one old edge repair.

These once common cartridges together in their original pasteboard containers are artifacts now difficult to find in today’s collecting community.

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