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Modern Stock Certificates

Get the Certificate and Ownership in the Corporation

Scripophily is the collecting of old stock and bond certificates.

They are generally beautifully engraved pieces of industrial history and some contain valuable historic signatures, like that of John D. Rockefeller.

For years, stock brokerages have been acting as the custodian of shares. This made it easier to buy and sell, since the customer didn't have to run back and forth with the stock certificates.

With the advent of the computer age, it became increasingly rare for an investor to see an actual stock certificate.

Since 1996, a company known as OneShare has been selling single framed shares of stock.

This has introduced many to the fun and beauty of stock certificates.

Not only are these beautiful collectibles, but they are valuable proof of ownership in some of America's most famous corporations.

Over 100 corporation have their shares listed in this program. Some like the Disney and DreamWorks Animation certificates seem like they were designed for the collectible art market.

As pretty as these look their cost is based on the underlying value of the stock and like any stock, it can go up or down over the years. Since you become a registered owner, you are entitled to dividends, stock splits and other benefits of ownership.

As you may know, companies come and go. Right now Yahoo seems to be on the endangered species list. So, some of these companies, sooner or later, will become extinct, making their certificates all the more valuable.

It is important to remember that most stock trades are simply book entries on brokerage account records and that stock certificates are much rarer than they should be.

These certificates are also an excellent way to introduce children to the world of investing and, as well, make great gifts for special occasions.

However, for a modern collector of American industrial artifacts, this program allows an easy and relatively inexpensive way to start a great collection of stock certificates that - if history is any guide - will be more valuable as the years go by.

In the meantime, you will have beautiful framed mementos of your stock ownership to hang on your walls. They will make a much better display than a copy of your brokerage account.

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