r/Scripophily

Back of the document is pictured first.

The front is shown in the second picture.

Historians, collectors and appraisers - tell me what you think of this.

Scripophily is one of those hobbies most people have never heard of, but once you fall into it, it's hard to stop. You're essentially collecting the physical paper that once represented real ownership or debt in companies, banks, and ventures that shaped economic history.

A few from my collection that I think are particularly interesting:

Apple Computer, Inc. — Common Stock, 1987 Signed by John Sculley as Chairman and CEO, with the rainbow Apple logo and an Apple II illustration. One share. These are probably the most recognized certificates in the hobby right now.

Société des Phonographes & Cinématographes "LUX" — Paris, 1908 A 100-franc bearer share from a company selling phonographs and early cinema equipment. The vignette features allegorical figures, a phonograph, early film apparatus, and the Statue of Liberty in the background for some reason. Classic Belle Époque engraving work.

The Walt Disney Company — Common Stock, 1999 Disney certificates are hugely collectible, partly because of the iconic vignette (Walt Disney himself surrounded by Mickey, Tinker Bell, Bambi, Pinocchio, Winnie the Pooh...). This one was issued to a holder in Paris, which I found charming.

Eidgenoessische Bank / Banque Fédérale — Zürich, 1893 A Swiss federal bank share with a gorgeous allegorical panorama across the top: Helvetia enthroned, Alpine scenery, sailing ships, industry on one side and commerce on the other. Bilingual German/French as you'd expect. The engraving quality here is exceptional.

Compagnie Maritime Valéry Frères et Fils — Paris, 1878 A 500-franc bearer bond from a steamship company operating between Marseille, Algeria, and Tunisia. The certificate is labeled "Europe" and "Afrique" at the bottom corners. Later overstamped by F. Morelli & Cie after a company succession. Love the narrative history baked into the paper itself.

Banque de Rose (Розова Банка) — Sofia, 1917 My personal favorite in this batch. A Bulgarian bank dedicated to the rose oil industry — Bulgaria being the world's dominant producer of rose oil at the time. The imagery shows women harvesting roses in traditional dress. Bilingual Bulgarian/French. 100 leva or, 75% paid up. Completely unique aesthetic compared to Western European certificates.

The hobby sits at the intersection of financial history, graphic art, and paper ephemera. Most of these pieces cost less than a decent bottle of wine and contain more history than you'd expect.

If anyone else collects, or is curious where to start, happy to talk about it. I post new finds occasionally on ScripoTime gallery.

From a collector on scripotime:

>Hello collectors, I am doing a research project to list the first 1,000 Green Standard Oil Trust certificates and record their details for the community. I have gathered quite a number of them from the web (dealers, auctions, etc) but I need your help!

Certificate #10 pictured is from my collection and is the earliest certificate number so far. If you would be so kind as to assist in uploading any of the green SO Trust certificates numbers 1-999, it would be greatly appreciated.