Collectible Stocks and Bonds from North American Railroads             by Terry Cox

A guidebook and catalog of prices (I neither buy nor sell stocks and bonds)
Search hundreds of pages on this web site for information about collecting railroad stocks and bonds.
 

Click to search the special Coxrail database. Information for 23,700+ certificates from over 7,400 North American railroad companies.
  How to identify states from their state seals  

Instructions - Start with 1. Click on appropriate answers and choose between succeeding choices. State abbreviations are linked to pages which show and discuss the seal for that state. Most states have statutes that forbid exact replication of state seals (aka coats of arms.) Therefore, designs used on certificates can be highly variable but always retain central design elements. Some certificates display city or provincial seals which may occasionally appear similar to the state seals listed below.

1 a - people are visible (not hidden in details)
b - no people are visible
 
2 a - George Washington
b - two people flank shield
c - farmer and miner flank boulder
d - other people or other positions
 
3 a - patterned designs on shield
b - cow on shield (kneeling or standing)
c - other elements on shield
 
4 a - eagle below shield
b - crown above shield
 
5 a - tree on shield
b - sailing ship above shield
 
6 a - deer above shield
b - three plows on shield
c - eagle above shield
d - badger above shield
 
7 a - birds or animals visible
b - no birds or animals visible
 
8 a - eagle
b - bison (running)
c - hoses with plow
d - bear in foreground
 
9 a - angel left, eagle behind shield
b - man with flag
c - three people visible
 
10 a - man chops tree
b - Indian chases bison
 
11 a - horses pull plow right to left
b - horses pull plow left to right
 
12 a - female warrior (usually at right) with bay beyond
b - prospector (usually at left) with dam beyond
 
13 a - one person visible
b - two people visible
 
14 a - a train is visible
b - a tree is visible
c - other
 
15 a - person watches ship
b - female holds branch
 
16 a - militia man with sword
b - Indian with bow
 
17 a - two friends shake hands
b - Indian on horseback, man plowing
c - standing Liberty and Plenty with cornucopia
d - female warrior stands above conquered enemy
 
18 a - animals visible
b - no animals visible
 
19 a - animals flank a shield
b - animals do not flank shield
 
20 a - two standing deer
b - two standing bears
c - two standing horses
 
21 a - cow or oxen
b - pelican
c - eagle
 
22 a - cows pull covered wagon
b - scraggly pine tree and two sheaves of wheat
 
23 a - eagle with shield looks left, holds ribbon
b - eagle with arrows
c - two eagles (American and Mexican)
d - eagle above covered wagon
e - eagle above beehive
 
24 a - map is central element
b - large star is central element
c - mountain scene visible
d - other central element
 
25 a - plain star, possible with wreath around bottom
b - star with Indian paraphernalia and designs
 
26 a - mountain and crossed mining picks on shield
b - ship on bay
c - mill in foreground
d - standing sheaf of wheat and arrows
e - waterfall visible
 
27 a - three vines (often looks like trees)
b - ship with sails furled
c - anchor (usually with Hope)
d - plow above ship (usually with Agriculture and Commerce)

 

 
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