June 1923, France. A 500 francs bond bearing 6% interest “for the repair of the damages caused by the war”. Yellow, brown and green on white paper. Top center vignette of a damaged village undergoing major repairs, complete with scaffolding. Coupons attached at bottom and the left. Lightly punch cancelled and in very fine condition.

Issued to J.S. Morgan & Co. London, Eng. First Preferred Stock Black. #A423 Both JP Morgan and JS Morgan sign for their brokerage firms on the same certificate. Signed on verso by J.S. Morgan and on front by J. Pierpont Morgan (signed as Drexel, Morgan and Co. in his hand) at left as Transfer Agent. Hole punch cancelled with J. Pierpont’s signature affected by one punch

1880, Texas. Stock certificate for 100 shares. Green/Black. Engraved vignette of cattle at watering hole. Issued to and signed on verso by RUSSEL SAGE RUSSELL SAGE (1816 - 1906). Banker; financier; congressman. As the originator of "put and call options", Sage greatly changed the way speculators played the stock market. Among America's most powerful and wealthy bankers, he financed Jay Gould and made a vast fortune on the latter's stock manipulations. "Sage was one of the shrewdest and most conservative of all great financiers." (DAB) At one time he is said to have had $27,000,000 out on call loans. At the time of his death he left a fortune worth an estimated $70,000,000. Also Signed as president by JAY GOULD (1836 - 1892); Railroad magnate; Financier; Stock market manipulator. Gould began his rise by gaining control of a small Vermont railroad in 1860 at the age of 24. Over the next 10-15 years he made a fortune by buying and selling railroads and manipulating their stock. His most famous railroad battle came in the late 1860's when, along with Jim Fisk and Daniel Drew, he struggled for control of the Erie Railroad against "Commodore" Vanderbilt. Gould went on to become "the most hated man in America" when his attempt to corner the gold market caused a panic termed "Black Friday" in September 1869. Turning towards western railroads in the 1870's, he came to own or control numerous roads, including the Union Pacific and Kansas Pacific. It is estimated that he controlled about 10% of the railroad track in the U.S. by 1880. He went on to gain control of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and the New York elevated railroad. At his death, his fortune was estimated to be $72 million. Very light browning along top edge. A couple of small, light ink stains affect nothing. Paper thinning at top left near attached stub lightly affecting border. Stamp and punch cancellations, the latter affecting Gould's signature.

1860, Caracas, Venezuela. $1,000 First Mortgage Nine Percent Coupon Bond. Black on Blue paper. Steam locomotive vignette at top center. Litho. Dual language bond printed in Spanish and English. Issued to fund the railroad from Caracas to Petare, Venezuela. One of only 90 issued under an a concession issued by the Government of Venezuela granted to Jose M. Rojas, Juan Marcano, John J. Flanagan and William Hatfield to build a railroad from Caracas to Petare, Venezuela “with the privilege of extending it to Guaranas and Guatire, and authorized the organization of a company or corporation for the purpose of building and equipping said road.” All coupons remain. A rare railroad bond from South America. Folds. Very Fine.

1841, Massachusetts. Black. Stock certificate for 50 shares. A fine, detailed engraved vignette of an early steamboat at top center, steam locomotive crossing a bridge at left. The road extended 44 miles from Boston, Massachusetts to Providence, Rhode Island. One of America's earliest railroads. Pen cancelled and Extremely Fine.

Stock certificate for one share of the Rocky Mountain Railroad Company of Montana.Black. Issued to and signed on verso by FREDERICK BILLINGS (1823- 1890). President of the NPRW. Billings Montana was named after him. Billings became a lawyer and in 1849, the year gold was found in California, he went west to make his fortune. He made it quickly, soon becoming a successful lawyer and realestate developer in San Francisco and one of the richest men in California. Signed as president of the company by SAMUEL T. HAUSER (1833 1914). Pioneer miner, capitalist and territorial governor of Montana. A rare association of these two western business pioneers. Billings signature remains uncancelled while Hauser’s is lightly affected by small punch cancellations.

1911, Barcelona. Stock certificate of the SOCIEDAD GENERAL DE AUTOMOVILES S.A.. Black. A large vignette at left center margin of an early automobile. A great certificate for display. Uncancelled and Extremely Fine.

WASHINGTON A. ROEBLING (1837-1926). An American engineer, Roebling designed the Cincinnati bridge across the Ohio, but is best remembered for the Brooklyn Bridge.1922, New York. A Harlo Manufacturing Company stock signed by Washington A. Roebling on the verso. The stock was for .92 shares issued to the John A Roebling Sons Company. There is an orange corporate seal and a dark signature on the back. It is in fine condition overall.

1906, Paris, France. Stock certificate for 100 shares. GreenYellow. A wonderful art nouveau certificate depicting a lady driving an open seat automobile at center, male and female figures at either side. Coupons below. Great for display. Uncancelled and in Excellent condition.