Collectible Stocks and Bonds from North American Railroads
by Terry Cox

ALASKA

Became district: May 17, 1884.
Became territory: August 24, 1912
Became state: January 3, 1959

There have been very few railroad companies incorporated in the state. Fortunately for collectors, there were a few railroads that incorporated elsewhere and operated in Alaska. Overall, Alaska is the hardest of all states to collect because certificates are of the highest rarity. Alaska is one of the few states with certificates known from a railroad (Alaska Central Railway) pre-dating territorial status! It is conceivable that the railroad shown on the state seal was that company, although it was almost certainly meant to be allegorical in nature.

Territorial and state seals are the same. Seal shows northern lights, ship, bay, mountains, and a railroad. (Since this seal dates from the territorial period, the railroad would have been built even earlier.) There are also symbolic representations of native people, mining, agriculture, fishing, and fur seals.

Number of Varieties of collectible certificates
(counting all companies that operated within the state)
Exceedingly few (fewer than 5 varieties)
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