There is a thriving market in old stock certificates due to
their beauty, uniqueness, historical significance, rarity
and, surprisingly, their affordability.
Though most certificates (even from a century ago) can be
purchased for under $100, the sheer number of different
certificates available (thousands), not to mention the
expense of the rarer ones, precludes anyone from trying to
collect them all.
For that reason, and due to personal preferences, people
tend to give as gifts or to collect stock certificates by
theme. These are a few of the more popular themes:
1.Industry - Railroads are popular industry themes. There
were a great number of them and they literally created the
infrastructure that allowed the United States to develop
into a unified economic, cultural, political and societal
entity Even within the Railroad category, however, most
people focus on sub-segments such as the first electric
traction railways ( trolleys) from a hundred years ago or
all the small lines that consolidated to create a larger
Railroad system. Other industry examples are aircraft,
mining, oil, autos, retailers, banks, or any "industry" you
define.
2.Geography - It is fun to see the name of your city or
state on a certificate. These collectors usually enjoy
doing a little research and reading up on companies and
locations they identify with or recognize. There are many
hundreds of old certificates with town, county or state
names in the company name, e.g., Maricopa Mica Mining
Company (1890's) or Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company
(1927).
3.Vignette - "Vignette" is the collectors' term for the
picture(s) on most certificates. They are usually quite
detailed artwork created from etchings. A collector might
choose, for example, animal vignettes (including American
Eagles, foxes, dogs, horses, cattle, doves, cats and many
others).
4.Family Relationship - If your last name is Morrison, you
could have a beautiful, framed, authentic certificate from
1865 for "The Morrison Family Oil Company" hanging in your
den. How about the Long Dock Company (1860's) or the
Custer Channel Wing Corporation?
5.Time Period - Lovers of the Old West might like The
Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, The John B.
Stetson Company or the Abercrombie and Fitch Company (they
were actually important purveyors in the old days too).
There are many other possible themes (autographs, famous
people, famous events, years...). And many certificates
can fit in more than one theme, so there is no end to the
satisfaction of creating a fine collection, but also the
excitement of picking up on a new direction.
In any case, the collecting of these increasingly rare
historical documents is a growing, rewarding pastime that
is engrossing to pursue and fun to share with others (as
you show them your 1865 Barnstable Bank and expound on
commerce during the Civil War).
----------------------------------------------------
Larry Crain is a collector, author and dealer in
Scripophily (the collecting of antique stock certificates).
Images, values, more articles and research tools for old
stock certificates can be found at
http://www.RealStockCertificates.com . Old company and
industry research information can be found at
http://www.RealStockHistories.blogspot.com .
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