Fort Lyon, Colorado Territory. Sutlers Check. ND (18xx). 10 Cents. Very Fine. Remainder.

Fort Lyon, Colorado Territory. Sutlers Check. ND (18xx). 10 Cents. Very Fine. Remainder.，Uniface. Printed on bond paper. 110mm by 61mm. Lithographed in blue and red without an imprint. Red "SUTLERS CHECK" curved as an undertint in the center. Within a plain blue border frame, "GOOD FOR/TEN CENTS,/PAYABLE IN MERCHANDISE" across center. At the top, "FORT LYON, COL. TER." in bold lettering, just below serial number space and part printed date "186_". At the bottom left, large block counter "10 Cts." Space to sign note at the lower left. Durand COT-11, listed as Rarity 7 (1 to 5 known). Really a piece of scrip more than a check. Had this note been signed, dated and numbered, it would have passed as money. We have only seen notes from this series as unsigned Remainders and we believe all are. Fort Lyon is the name of two different U.S. Army forts that operated in eastern Colorado beginning around 1860. The first fort was originally named for Virginia governor Henry Wise but was renamed in 1862 in honor of Union General Nathaniel Lyon who was killed at the Battle of Wilsons Creek in Missouri in 1861. The fort operated in its original location until a newly constructed Fort Lyon opened near Las Animas in 1867. Our research leads us to believe these notes likely date to the first location. Bright paper and just a few light creases are observed.，，