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Researching
Old
Stock Certificates and Bonds
The Alabama Securities Commission (ASC) occasionally receives calls
on how to research old stock certificates,
bonds and their value. The following web links and available
resources (manuals and publications) may be of some assistance.
NOTE: The ASC provides this information as a
service to investors. This is neither a legal interpretation
nor a statement of SEC Policy.
The ASC does not endorse or recommend
the companies or publications listed. This resource list is
provided only as information.
WEB LINKS
http://www.oldcompany.com – This company researches old stock
and bond certificates. Once the research is completed, Old Company
will provide you the information found and how to contact the
company or its acquirers if either still exists. Old Company
charges a $39.95 fee for each company; however, you are not charged
anything if no information is found on the company. A request to
research a company may be submitted on Old Company’s website or by
mail or fax; ordering and payment information is on the website.
Old Company’s toll free phone number is: 1-888-786-2576.
http://www.scripophily.com - This company, affiliated with
Old Company, buys and sells old stock and bond certificates. The
value of a certificate as a collectible is determined by many
factors; these are listed and explained on the website. You can
send an email to Scripophily from its web site and the toll free
phone number is: 1-888-786-2576.
http://www.stockresearchservice.com - This company offers the
same service as Old Company offers. Research and contact
information for both companies is the same.
http://www.oldstockexchange.com – This company buys and sells
collectible stock and bond certificates as Scripophily does.
Contact information for this company is the same as that for
Scripophily.
http://www.oldstockresearch.com - This company will do
research for a fee of $35 to $45 per company and will refund the fee
if no information is found. If an old stock certificate or old bond
has a cash value, this company charges no “recovery fee” and
provides name and address information for how to cash them in or to
exchange for new shares. If the certificate/bond has no cash value
and the company no longer exists, this company’s report will include
a free appraisal of the certificate/bond as a collectible. This
company also checks for any unclaimed assets in the shareholder’s
name. Contact information is: phone – 435-586-9497; email -
Cheryl@OldStockResearch.com ; and address -
America West
Archives, Stock Research Services, PO Box 100, Cedar City, UT,
84721-0100.
http://www.stocksearchintl.com – This company will do research
for a fee of $85.00 US per company. The company’s email address
is:
ssi@stocksearchintl.com; the toll free phone number is
1-800-537-4523, and the fax number is 1-520-579-5639.
http://www.stocktransfer.com – More information may be found on
this website under the ‘Shareholders’ tab at the top of the home
page. The ‘Resources’ option on the left side menu on the
‘Shareholders’ page includes: Getting Company info, Researching Old
Certs, and Secretaries of State. Another menu option here is
‘Unclaimed Property’ which shows contact information for each state.
Additional resources (manuals
and/or publications)
Financial Stock
Guide Service: This comprehensive guide has been published by
Financial Information Inc since 1927. Updated annually, this
listing contains a directory of actively traded stocks and obsolete
securities. An inquiry about research services may be made to The
Custom Research department of Financial Information by calling
1-800-367-3441.
Robert D. Fisher
Manual of Valuable and Worthless Securities: This multi-volume
resource published by R. M. Smythe & Co., Inc, is helpful in tracing
the value of very old stock certificates.
Moody’s
Industrial Manual and Moody’s OTC Industrial Manual: Published
by Mergent Company, these manuals are updated annually and give
brief summaries of companies’ histories, backgrounds, mergers and
acquisitions, subsidiaries, principal plants, and properties.
Subscription information is available at 1-800-342-5647.
Internet searches of
large libraries should indicate the availability of manuals and/or
publications kept in Reference. Large universities that have a
Business Library will often have one of the above-mentioned manuals
and/or publications in its Reference Section. |
