1925, Athens, Greece. Bond. Multi-colored. Large center vignette of a an egyptian coin. Bottom border vignettes of various greek figures figures. Attached coupons. Stamp cancelled and very fine.

1856, New York. Stock certificate for 4 shares. Black. Vignette of a rail yard and a ship yard with the “Saftey & Dispatch” seal at top center. . Signed as vice president by JOHN BUTTERFIELD, as Secretary by WILLIAM G. FARGO and as Treasurer by ALEX HOLLAND. FARGO, WILLIAM G. (1818 - 1881). Expressman. Fargo got his start in the express business at age 13 through a 30 mile mail route. Sometime later, William Fargo served as a messenger with Wells & Company, the first express company to venture west of Buffalo. Fargo became a partner in Wells & Company and, in 1850, they joined with two other express companies to form the American Express Company which covered the eastern sector of the United States; Wells, Fargo & Company, formed in 1852, covered the western sector. Wells went on to start his own firm, Wells & Company, which ran a route from Buffalo to Detroit, the first express company to venture west of Buffalo. As a young man, William Fargo served as a messenger with Wells & Company, and eventually became Wells' partner. In 1850, Wells & Company joined with two other express companies to form the American Express Company which covered the eastern sector of the United States, with the western sector being covered by Wells, Fargo and Company. BUTTERFIELD, JOHN (1801 - 1869). Expressman; Financier. Beginning his career in the express business as a stage driver, Butterfield soon held a share in the proprietorship he was working for. Shortly, most of the stage lines west of New York were under his control. In 1849, he formed the express company of Butterfield, Wasson & Co. and in 1850, upon his suggestion, a merger of his company, (Henry) Wells & Co. and Livingston, (William G.) Fargo & Co. formed the American Express Company. In 1857, they received the government contract for the first transcontinental stage line at $600,000 per year and resulted in the Overland Mail Company of which Butterfield was president. His activities stretched to steamboating, plank roads and railroads. Some light toning. Revenue stamp affixed. Uncancelled and fine. This item has been authenticated, graded and encapsulated by PASS-CO.

A share for 1,000 francs in an expedition for J. B. Garrigou & Company.  1800. The corsair was bound for the L’Isle-de-France. A translation follows: ARMAMENT IN WAR AND GOODS Length from head to head. . . 88 feet  Width of main beam . . . .    22 feet, 6 inches Deep    in the hull    . .   . . . 9 feet  10 inches. This Ship was built and doubled with copper, it is made for a higher walk, — in the brig, & armed with guns and shells of 8 pounds, with the necessary number of men a similar expedition. We the undersign, Ship-owners of the Ship Adventure aforesaid, acknowledge to have received — the sum of a Thousand francs for an share or portion of interest that it represents in the armament of the aforesaid Ship, and because it is to take part this day, with the benefit or loss which will be able the result of the aforesaid, armament, according to the clauses and conditions of the leaflet of which it took note. Excellent.

 1817. Newark, New Jersey. Stock Certificate for 2 Shares. Black White.  7 7/8”  x 5 ¾ “. Issued to Elias Boudinot, the tenth President of Continental Congress. In 1806, the New Jersey General Assembly chartered the Essex and Middlesex Turnpike. Elias Boudinot’s brother and future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey Elisha Boudinot was a commissioner and majority share holder of the company from its onset. Elisha was among a group of New Jerseyans authorized to “receive subscriptions for erecting a turnpike road, four rods wide, from the east end of the bridge over the Raritan river at New Brunswick, through Elizabethtown to Newark, in the count of Essex…” The subscription of stock was authorized at 3,000 shares of $50 each. The goal of the turnpike was to both improve the New Brunswick to Newark road and to connect that road with the Trenton and New Brunswick Turnpike in New Brunswick. A Choice rarity displaying this important early political investing in the growth of America. 

1940, Maryland. Stock certificate for 100 shares. Brown/Black. Signed as Vice-President by George M. Weiss (1894 - 1972). Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971, Weiss served as a long time director of the New York Yankees farm system and later as a highly successful General Manager for the club. Lightly pen cancelled and Extremely Fine.

1851, California. Stock certificate of the Enterprise Quartz Company. Issued at Nevada, California. November 21, 1851. Printed by Nevada Journal Print. The company was located on Kentucky Ridge, Nevada County. Gold was discovered around 1850 - 1851 on Kentucky Ridge by one of the early 49ers, George Roberts. It is possible that the signature on this stock, E. W. Roberts is a relative. The Kentucky Ridge saw the first Black slaves brought in for mining purposes. "These Afro-Americans came to Nevada County from Georgia as the slaves of Colonel William F. English. English reportedly was a Georgia planter who sold his plantation in 1850, then journeyed to Philadelphia, where he purchased a ship to transport machinery and workers to California to establish a mining enterprise." While we've been unable to connect the Enterprize quartz specifically with English's slaves, it is possible that they worked the company mine. Stock certificates dated 1851 from a California gold mine are quite rare and this offers a fine opportunity to acquire a piece of the gold rush. Folds. Fine.

February 1, 1895. England. Light green. The $1000 bond was “Payable both Principal and Interest in the United States. One Half of This Loan is Reserved For Issue In America…The bearer, having paid the sum of fifty pounds in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus of the 19th February, 1895, will , on payment of the remaining Installments, amounting to One hundred and seventy-seven Pounds, at the periods specified, be entitled to receive in exchange for this Scrip a Definitive bond for One Thousand Dollars, when ready for delivery.” The installments were to be paid to the government’s agent, N. M. Rothschild & Sons in London. This bond issue was completed in order to avert a gold panic similar to what had brought about the Panic of 1893 amid fears of currency depreciation. N. M. Rothschild & Sons along with J. S. Morgan & Company contracted to sell the loan. An important example of a bond issued to fund the U.S. government during a period financial uncertainty. This bond was one of four which surfaced in the following denominations: $100, $500, $1,000 and $5,000. Excellent condition.

18--. Santiago, Chile. An uncut pair SPECIMENS of 1,000 peso bonds. Green\Black. Engraved vignette of spread-eagle at top center, bank building below. Fine engraved vignette of the Chilean coast at left. A few folds. Couple of cut hole cancellations. Fine.

18--, Maine. $200 Bond. Black. Litho. Steam locomotive vignette at top center. Litho. In 1862, this road merged with the Penobscot & Kennebec Railroad to form the Maine Central Railroad. Nice, early New England piece. Punch cancelled and Very fine. Cancellation affects date.