- Gathering Info on Your Stock. You can begin your old stock certificates research for free. ...
- Research the Company Name. If you are lucky, your company will still be in business under the same name. ...
- Do Old CUSIP Number Lookup. A stock's CUSIP (Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures) number is somewhat like the ISBN number of a book.
- Inquire With Secretary of State. As a last resort for doing an old stock certificate lookup, you can ask the secretary of state where the company was incorporated about the ...
- Speak With the Transfer Agent. Once you ascertain the current name of the company, get in touch with the transfer agent. ...
What to do if you find an old stock certificate?
Key Takeaways
- If you find an old certificate, it's important to know where to start looking.
- Look for the company name and location of incorporation, a CUSIP number, and the name of the person with whom the security is registered.
- If you have been successful in finding all this information, you will need to locate the name of the transfer agent.
Where can you find old stock certificates?
You can find collectors and dealers in such sources as:
- Goldsheet's Scripophily Dealers and Organizations on the Goldsheet Obsolete Securities Page. ...
- The International Bond and Share Society
- Your local library for information on the hobby and for price guides
- eBay, or local antique dealers, especially ones who specialize in old currency, stamps, or coins.
How to research a stock certificate?
Research the company that issued the security. If you know the date the certificate was issued, you can research whether or not the company has gone through reorganization ("reorg") or a stock split since the issuance of the stock. Most online financial websites, such as Yahoo! Finance, offer historical pricing with notations for reorgs or splits.
How to obtain a stock certificate?
What are the Requirements to Obtain a Stock Certificate?
- The name, nationality, and address of the shareholder
- The name, address, and duration of the company
- The date of the incorporation of the company and the data of its registration in the Public Registry of Commerce
- The amount of the capital stock, the total number and nominal value of the shares
How do you look up old stock certificates?
You can begin with a quick internet search on the company's name. If this doesn't turn up any information, you may consult the corporate registry where the company was registered. You will find this information on the stock certificate, it will usually state “Incorporated under the laws of…”.
How do I find out how much my old stock certificates are worth?
Contact your stockbroker to search the stock's worth via its CUSIP number if the steps given earlier yield no results. This number is printed on the back of the stock certificate. Use a fee-based service to search your stock's history if the earlier steps come up empty. Fees can range from $40 to $85 or more.
How do I find out what stocks I own?
The easiest way to find your stocks and track their performance is to look in the business section of the morning newspaper. Most publications have sections of the Dow, NASDAQ or the S&P 500. Find your stock's abbreviation in the alphabetic listings.
Are stock certificates public?
Only companies that have completed the incorporation process can issue public stock. When a company decides to go public, it means that the business plans to incorporate and offer stock to the general public. A stock certificate must contain several pieces of information: The corporation's name and incorporation date.
How do I research old stock certificates for free?
Call a discount or full-service brokerage house and provide the CUSIP number, which is unique to each individual stock certificate, and stock brokerages can use this number to find out exactly the status of the company. Most larger discount brokerage houses will do this search for free, but be sure to ask first.
Are old stock certificates worth anything?
An old stock or bond certificate may still be valuable even if it no longer trades under the name printed on the certificate. The company may have merged with another company or simply changed its name.
How do I find lost stocks for free?
You can use the Treasury Hunt search engine, at www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/indiv.htm, to track down matured savings bonds or missed payments from securities. Click on "Search for Your Securities in Treasury Hunt." Simply type in your Social Security number to start.
Where are stock certificates held?
If you buy stock from a specific company, you can reach out to that company and ask that it mail you a physical stock certificate. If you are unable to find contact information for the company, you can visit the Secretary of State website in the state where the business operates.
What if I lost stock certificates?
If your securities certificate is lost, accidentally destroyed, or stolen, you should immediately contact the transfer agent and request a “stop transfer” to prevent ownership of the securities from being transferred from your name to another's. Your broker may be able to assist you with this process.
Step 1: Head Down to the Library
There are reasonably priced databases although many of those are available at your local library.
Step 2: State Business Entity Search
Let's continue with Bowser Delaware Corp. from the previous steps example. The company was (as we assembled) incorporated in Delaware. From the state of Delaware we can receive the date of termination of the company and the company's last transfer agent which will be critical later on.
Step 3: Contact the Company's Transfer Agent
From our local library we were able to track down the various corporate changes that the company went through. From the Secretary of State's site we found a Business Entity Search. From this search we were able to gather the Transfer Agent information.
Step 4: Professional Help
At this point you have pieced together the entire corporate history for the shares that you own! If the transfer agent requires for you to get proof-of-purchase for your shares or any other legal matters arise it is at this point where professional help can be a very valuable resource.
What are the characteristics of a stock certificate?
Basic Characteristics. Begin by examining the certificates. A stock certificate that was issued must have the owner’s name printed on it . A specimen certificate may have “specimen” stamped across it. It will have no name, signature, corporate seal or revenue stamp.
What happens if you own stock certificates?
If you own stock or bond certificates for a company long since vanished, you may have a valuable find – or you may have nothing. Depending on the company and the circumstances of its disappearance, the certificates may have value if the firm lived on through a merger or they may be no more than a conversation piece.
How to find out if a company is defunct?
Begin your research with an Internet search for the company. Even if the company is defunct, there may be a historical trail for you to follow. The company may have gone bankrupt, have vanished by way of a merger or simply been dissolved. If you cannot find a record of the fate of the company, examine the certificate to determine the name of the transfer agent. A transfer agent is the bank or trust company responsible for issuing, transferring, canceling and replacing lost or stolen shares of the company. If you can locate the transfer agent, they can tell you the fate of the company and the value of your certificate, if any.
What to do if you can't find the fate of a company?
If you cannot find a record of the fate of the company, examine the certificate to determine the name of the transfer agent. A transfer agent is the bank or trust company responsible for issuing, transferring, canceling and replacing lost or stolen shares of the company. If you can locate the transfer agent, they can tell you the fate ...
Can a certificate of ownership be cancelled?
It will have no name, signature, corporate seal or revenue stamp. If the ownership of the shares was transferred, then the certificate will be canceled. It may have “canceled” stamped across the certificate or it may be perforated – especially across the signatures.
What is the hobby of collecting old stock certificates?
Tips. Even if your old stock certificates are no longer traded and are therefore worthless as shares, they may still hold value to collectors. "Scripophily" is the hobby of collecting old stock certificates. Depending on the condition and the name of the company, you may be able to sell them to a collector.
What to do if a company is not listed on the stock market?
If the company is still operating under the name listed, do a web-based stock market quote search. If the company is not operating under the name listed, it may have been acquired by another company or it indeed may have ceased operations.
Can you sell old stock certificates?
"Scripophily" is the hobby of collecting old stock certificates. Depending on the condition and the name of the company, you may be able to sell them to a collector. If they are in good condition, they can also be used as gifts or presents for anyone who might have an interest in the stock market.
Can you sell stock to a collector?
Depending on the condition and the name of the company, you may be able to sell them to a collector. If they are in good condition, they can also be used as gifts or presents for anyone who might have an interest in the stock market. Writer Bio.
Is there a chance that old stock certificates have real value?
The possibility that those old stock certificates have any real value, or that the company listed still exists, might be low, but there is a chance, and with a few quick inquiries, can know for sure.
What to do if your securities certificate is lost?
If your securities certificate is lost, accidentally destroyed, or stolen, you should immediately contact the transfer agent and request a "stop transfer" to prevent ownership of the securities from being transferred from your name to another’s. Your broker may be able to assist you with this process and the broker or transfer agent will report ...
What to do if you find a lost certificate?
If you later find the missing certificate, you should notify whomever you called to place the "stop transfer" so that the lost or stolen securities report may be removed. Otherwise, you may have difficulty selling the securities. If you are expecting a certificate through the mail and it doesn't arrive, you should immediately contact ...
Should securities certificates be safeguarded?
Securities certificates are valuable and should be safeguarded. To avoid the cost and burden of safeguarding certificates, some investors let their brokerage firm hold their securities for them in “street name”.
Can I get a new certificate to replace a lost one?
Replacing Securities Certificates. You can get a new certificate to replace the missing one. However, before issuing a new certificate, corporations usually require the following: The owner must state all the facts surrounding the loss in an affidavit;
Can you get a new certificate before an innocent purchaser?
The owner must request a new certificate before an innocent purchaser acquires it . We recommend that you keep a copy of both sides of your certificates separate from the certificates themselves. If a certificate is lost or stolen and then transferred on the books of the transfer agent to another owner, it may be impossible for you to establish ...
What to look for when you find an old stock certificate?
The most important feature to look for when you happen upon an old stock certificate is any signs of canceling. It may be a barely readable hand stamp or imprint, but if it is there, your stock is worth nothing on the stock market (although it may be valuable to collectors).
How to find out who the transfer agent is?
You can usually find out who the transfer agent is by speaking with the company's investor relations department. The transfer agent will help you to assign the stock to your name.
Does each security have its own CUSIP?
Each security has its own CUSIP and is assigned a new one whenever there is a reorganization , merger or acquisition. You can open an account at the CUSIP Service Bureau's website to conduct an online search, but it is likely more cost effective to have a broker do it for you.
