Autographs – By Scott J. Winslow
Collecting historical stock certificates and bonds with signatures of famous people from all walks of life is an incredibly rewarding and interesting subject specialty within the field of Scripophily. The broad scope of industries covered and the availability of Autographs spanning an extensive period of American capitalism from the 18th through 20th centuries offers
a great opportunity for collection development. Over the past two to three decades, impressive collections have been formed with a unique focus on certificates bearing the signatures of significant individuals on stocks and bonds. Securities signed by Commodore Vanderbilt, William F. Cody, P. T. Barnum and Leland Stanford are to be found. Important bankers such as J. Pierpont Morgan, James Stillman and George F. Baker are amongst a number of other giants of finance to be found on stocks and bonds. A number of U.S. Presidents have been encountered on certificates. John D. Rockefeller is readily available on certificates of the important Standard Oil Company and Standard Oil Trust. Early American securities signed by signer of the Declaration of Independence, Robert Morris may be added to a collection alongside many other early and prominent individuals in American history. Explore this opportunity to study and understand the people and companies that built America and offer an insiders view into the investing habits of some of the most legendary names in history.