Antique Vintage 1945 Western Pacific Railroad Company Bond Certificate Green
15" x 10" ~
Such a neat collectible as the Western Pacific RR was formed in 1862 and consolidated to try to overcome the monopoly of the Southern Pacific Railroad in Northern California. For nearly 80 years this battle was a constant hotbed of competition and rivalry.
A list of RR lines that appear and songs and movies all over.
The California Zephyr was the most famous Western Pacific passenger train.
Exposition Flyer (Chicago to Oakland)
Royal Gorge (between Oakland and Denver via Pueblo)
Scenic Limited (between Oakland and Denver via Pueblo)
Zephyrette (between Oakland and Salt Lake City)
My pictures seriously can't do it justice!
Imagine hanging this vintage historic collectible on your wall as home decor in any room! Stock certificates are another thing that is limited in supply and once they are gone into museums and collections they will be hard to get. They are such historic documents with so much history behind them. The first stock certificate was issued in 1606 by the Dutch East India Company. 407 years of history later the Walt Disney Company issued one of the last paper stock certificates from a major corporation in 2013.
These had to be done on heavy paper stock, almost like a dollar bill but stiffer and more durable, which makes them stay vibrant and new looking for a long time. The other very unique thing about stock and bond certificates is they have all kinds of interesting signatures and you honestly never know whom you will find. Almost all stocks are signed by the company President and Secretary. Some collectors research the other signatures and historic significance and it adds so much provenance and value to an already valuable item. I have never done this as I can barely read my own signature let alone one from over 100 years ago and with the time it would take to do thousands of certificates my mother and I decided years ago not to bother.
This item is within 20 years of full antique status.