Have you ever discovered an old stock or bond certificate and wondered if the certificate has any value? Sometimes an old stock or bond certificate can be valuable, even if the company no longer trades under the name on the certificate. It is possible that a given company has changed its name or merged with another company.
A number of resources are available for individuals seeking to determine whether such a stock or bond certificate has value. Some of the top resources are listed below:
Financial Stock Guide Service – This guide, published annually since 1927, is a good starting point to research old stock certificates. It is a directory of actively traded stocks and obsolete securities. The Custom Research Department of Financial Information can be reached by calling 1-800-367-3441.
Robert D. Fisher Manual of Valuable & Worthless Securities – This resource, published by R.M. Smythe & Co., Inc. is very helpful in researching significantly older stock certificates. R.M. Smythe offers custom research services for a fee.
Moody's Industrial Manual and Moody's OTC Industrial Manual – Mergent Company publishes these manuals annually, which provide a brief summary of company histories, backgrounds, mergers and acquisitions, subsidiaries, principal plants, and properties. Information on purchasing subscriptions to these manuals can be obtained by calling 1-800-342-5647.
National Stock Summary – Published by the Pink Sheets LLC, this stock summary is released monthly and summarizes all over-the-counter and inactive listed stock offerings. The Pink Sheets LLC will research certificates for a fee.
More Resources Are Now Available on the Internet
OldCompany.com – This website charges $39.95 per report to research what happened to a given company and any available ways to get in touch with the remnants of the company in question. All fees are waived if no information can be found.
GoldSheetLinks.com/obsolete.htm – The Gold Sheet Mining Directory is an online resource that allows users to look up information about old companies that were publicly traded.
Scripophily.com – This resource provides background research on old stocks as well as images of old stock certificates.
Even if an old stock is determined to not have a tradable value, there may be a value associated with the stock as a collectible. Scripophily is the hobby of collecting old stock certificates, and some collectors are willing to pay large amounts of money for desirable certificates as collectors' items, even though the stock itself may be worthless. Some things that collectors look for in sought-after stock certificates include:
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