A Community for Abraham Lincoln & American History — For Collectors, By Collectors. More About Us.

Rail Splinters

Close But No Cigar

January 4, 2016

An eBay vendor recently listed a delegate’s ticket for the “National Union Convention”. It did not include a name or location. Visually, it had the look and feel of a Civil War era ticket. Jumping to conclusions, we thought it was a ticket to the Baltimore convention that re-nominated Lincoln for president in 1864. If correct, it would be the only example known and a stellar discovery. There was only one discrepancy… it was printed in Philadelphia by McLaughlin Brothers. As it turns out, there was another “National Union Convention” held August 14-16, 1866 in Philadelphia. That convention was en effort by pro-Johnson politicians to combat the Radical Republicans who controlled Congress and form a fusion third party whose main focus was reconciliation with the South. Accordingly, this ticket goes from being a “Great Find!” to being a scarce piece of post-Civl War ephemera worth around $100.