| NEWS! |
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German Glossary added. This page lists the most common terms you will find in German language catalogs and price lists to describe collectible railroad certificates. |
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 Just posted! Read an interview I recently did with Marty Weil for his huge and timely Ephemera blog. |
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Before contributing new names of railroad companies, you might check out my newest page. I have compiled a list of deceptive company names that closely resemble railroads but are either model railroads, bus companies, shipping companies, or others kinds of non-railroad companies. |
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 Questions
contiually arise about identifying specimens and proofs. Whereas
proof coins are special coins produced by the mint using special
processes, proof certificates are the exact opposite.
Proofs are simply test impressions of vignettes and plates prior
to regular certificate production. Specimen certificates, on
the other hand, are certificates identical in every way to regularly-issued
certificates. I have a new page that will explain More
than you EVER wanted to know about Specimens and Proofs. |
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 Million
dollar bills. Some of these fantasy
notes were printed by American Bank Note Company, so people contact
me to find out how to redeem them. (They can't!) Regardless of
the fact that these notes have no relationship to stocks and
bonds, people still ask me to explain more. For them, I've created
a special page on million
dollar bills. |
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I receive this
question more often than any other:
Do individual COUPONS or sheets of COUPONS have value?
In my opinion, NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!
 We
have been seeing people trying to sell individual
bond coupons in internet auctions. In many
cases, we are witnessing the destruction of perfectly good
and collectible bonds simply to to extract money from innocent
beginners. I consider this a very, very serious problem. It
has the potential of hurting the hobby. I get many letters
from beginners who think coupons
are bonds or some sort of currency. They think they are worth lots
of money! Please read my Letter
About Coupons.
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Imprinted Revenues -
I am fond of imprinted revenue stamps that appear on financial
documents from the 1860s and 1870s. Please see my identification
guide to imprinted revenues compiled
with the help of revenue specialist Eric
Jackson. At his suggestion, I have added
large images to show what the revenues look like "on
document."
This is an example of an imprinted revenue
on a bond from the Cincinnati & Springfield Railway
Co.
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Variations of this famous
image of the "The
Express Train" by Nathaniel Currier appears
on over 60 stocks and bonds. It was probably
engraved in the early 1850s.
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| Currier & Ives.
I don't collect Currier and
Ives' colored lithographs. However,
I have collected images of all the the rail-related Currier & Ives lithographs I could find and compiled
them in one place. See Currier
& Ives collection. Please write if you know of
more. |
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 The Professional
Scripophily Trade Association organized in January, 2004. Its efforts are to promote the hobby through clear standards
of customer service, ethical behavior, and education. The association
is planning series of educational articles, links to dealer
web sites, and schedules of upcoming events. Ultimately, the
goal is to demystify the hobby and allow collectors to buy with
greater confidence. Look for the Association logo. |
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For those interested in events from the
era of your certificates, I have compiled a TIMELINE.
This feature is intended to help you understand the
events that affected the development of the railroad
industry. |
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CATALOG NUMBERS. Discover
how I create catalog numbers. |
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SELLING? Don't know where
to start? Should you sell through online auctions? Or through
dealers?
1) Contact dealers listed on my dealers
page.
2) Read about pricing
3) Read
hints to sellers
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Visit
my 
Before
you send any copies, check 
