I've always had a great interest in the history of Wall Street, and as a result while browsing among the dust and cobwebs of an old building one day, I came across a box filled with canceled stock certificates. Beautiful pieces of history, art really, with dates back to the early and mid depression years. I asked the owner of the box his asking price. He replied, "Take them. They ain't worth spit." He was wrong.
Take a look.
Yesterday one of my customers came in and gave me an envelope and without so much as a word turned and walked out. I thought, 'now that's weird.' I opened it and inside I found this:
My friend had given me one of the last certificates issued by the old Winn-Dixie food store. A few months after its issue date the company went out of business and later reopened under new ownership. This is a twenty-six share certificate.
I now understood why he didn't speak. He was a Winn-Dixie executive prior to their bankruptcy. He'd lost his life savings during the crash of a once proud Southern company.
See, a piece of art stamped and colored by history.
Like I said, I don't actively seek out stock and bond certificates these days, but then again, I never pass over a piece when I stumble across a find.
Fun hobby. I frame mine and display them in my office.
Stephen
