Ringling Brothers

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Ringling Brothers

Even Current Stock Certificates Are Collectible

Although most collectors of scripophily focus on stock certificates produced during the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, modern stock certificates can also be a joy to collect. A stock certificate does not need to be an antique to have historical significance, although older stocks have traditionally been the ones to garner higher prices. In fact, many modern collectors are shifting their interests from stock certificates created during the Industrial Revolution, focusing their attention on those created just a few years ago. These certificates offer collectors a personal connection to the company whose certificate they own.

Since the beginning of stock certificate collecting, scandals have made for particularly popular stock certificates. Bankrupt companies can actually have particularly valuable stock certificates, as collectors scramble for any memorabilia from the now-defunct companies. In fact, Enron and Merrill Lynch are two of the most popular modern stock certificates; recent bankruptcies and scandals make for popular certificates because people feel personally connected to the companies whose certificates they own. This was true with mining, railroad, oil, and other stocks from older eras, and it remains so with dot com companies and others that have gone out of business in the past few years. Bankrupt companies no longer issue stock, so their existing certificates will continue to increase in rarity. As more companies become defunct during the financial crisis, look for the market in modern stock certificates to grow. One signed by Bernie Madoff was recently offered for $100,000 on eBay, though there were no takers.

Others collect the certificates of their favorite company. Although most stock certificate collectors choose stocks for the design or significance of the paper certificate and not for the value of the share (as most collectible certificates are from bankrupt companies), buying stock in your favorite company can be a great way to invest while adding to your collection.

Though the internet has also made it more convenient to purchase older or antique stock certificates, at the same time it is making it even harder to collect modern ones. Bear in mind that you may need to request a paper certificate if buying stock through the normal channels; unfortunately, the majority of today's stock transactions are paperless, as companies on the New York Stock Exchange are no longer required to issue a paper certificate.

Popular computer-era stocks include eBay, Apple, Atari, Microsoft, and IBM. Those with pop culture references, like those for Harley-Davidson, Pixar, Walt Disney, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, or Ford Motor, remain perennial favorites. Because these stock certificates are not scarce, they offer an affordable start to a stock certificate collection.

One pitfall of modern-era socks is that they often do not have the ornate detailing found on earlier examples, although there are certainly exceptions to this. Some modern stocks still include elaborate and high quality full-color designs. Many, particularly those from the 1960's or 1970's offer graphics that make them some of the more collectible modern era stock certificates. Those from the Ringling Brothers circus of the 1960s can be worth up to $500 because of their colorful designs, while Playboy certificates from the 1970s are collected for their centerfold depictions, and can fetch up to $400.