Have old stock certificates and want to know what they are worth? There are a few steps you can take to find out the value of you stock certificates that will most probably take you the better part of one afternoon immersed in corporate change databases if you know where to look. You will need a decent business knowledge, the name of the corporation and transfer agent of your shares (both found on stock certificate) and access to corporate changes directories (check your local library). There are reasonably priced databases although local libraries often have these resource available. Resources you're looking for; Directory of Obsolete Securities, Robert D. Fisher Manual of Valuable and Worthless Securities, Survey of Predecessor and Defunct Companies by The Financial Post or the Capital Changes Reporter.
Any one of these books will be sufficient. In most cases these books are held in the reference section. To find the value of our certificates, simply follow the corporation name found on your stock certificate through one these directories. Let's make our example Kaufmann Department Stores Securities Corporation let's say we hold 1000 shares. Kaufmann Department Stores Securities Corp. is found on page 1045 of the Directory of Obsolete Securities. The book states that Kaufmann Department Stores Securities Corp. merged to form Kauffmann Department Stores, Inc. Each common share was exchanged for 0.3069438 preferred share and 3.069438 common shares in Kauffman Department Store, which then merged into May Department Stores in 1946. The book then shows that in on August 30, 2005 May Department Stores merged into Federated Department Stores, Inc.. Now let's follow the last entity, Federated Department Stores, Inc. on it's own page.
Federated Department Stores, Inc. is found on page 674 of the Directory of Obsolete Securities. The book states that the company reorganized in 1994, which is irrelevant since our shares were acquired in the exchange by the company in 2005, it is followed with information that the company changed name to Macy's in 2007. Notice besides the company name there is in brackets a state abbreviation, the state abbreviation refers to the state that the company was incorporated in and will be valuable to hold on to. In this case (DE) is found beside the name, as such we can assemble that Delaware is the state of incorporation.
Now we have established the current status of the shares, current corporation is Macy's. If your shares were lost or you have any other issues with certificate logistics. Best to look into this would be to contact the company's transfer agent. Our next step will look into how to do so. Let's continue with Macy's from previous steps. The company was (as we assembled from the Directory of Obsolete Securities) incorporated in Delaware (DE). 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.
The site below offers links to all business entity searches in all states including Delaware.
http://www.secstates.com/
If the company you are researching is incorporated in Canada the site below offers links to all Provincial Resources
http://goldsheetlinks.com/obsolete.htm
Most states have online search options although a few still deal only over the phone. This changes state to state although the state used in our example, Delaware, does have an online business search that will allow for us to retrieve all records. The Delaware Business Entity Search retrieves for us the corporate contact information, the transfer agent contact information and in some cases extensive company details. The contact information that will help you retrieve information on your certificates will always be available here.
To review our research, we started at the local library where we able to track down the various corporate changes that the company had participated in. Then from the Delaware Secretary of State's site we found a Business Entity Search, where we were able to locate the Transfer Agent information.
The transfer agent will be able to confirm with you all of the corporate changes the stock ownership that your company has undergone and the result for you. In some cases stocks split and are acquired and so your initial ownership could at present be of a different number of shares in a different company is a case like that the transfer agent can send you a correct certificate.
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. There are a few stock research firms that are out there for the more complex corporate histories with restructurings and the like that we have not covered. ( Stock Cert Expert ) is if you choose the route of having professional stock research service guide you, the Gold Sheet Links references above also shows many professional research firms.
In all best of luck in establishing you share's current monetary value and corporate status!
Simon Burns
Old Stock Certificates Research
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Burns
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6185876
Any one of these books will be sufficient. In most cases these books are held in the reference section. To find the value of our certificates, simply follow the corporation name found on your stock certificate through one these directories. Let's make our example Kaufmann Department Stores Securities Corporation let's say we hold 1000 shares. Kaufmann Department Stores Securities Corp. is found on page 1045 of the Directory of Obsolete Securities. The book states that Kaufmann Department Stores Securities Corp. merged to form Kauffmann Department Stores, Inc. Each common share was exchanged for 0.3069438 preferred share and 3.069438 common shares in Kauffman Department Store, which then merged into May Department Stores in 1946. The book then shows that in on August 30, 2005 May Department Stores merged into Federated Department Stores, Inc.. Now let's follow the last entity, Federated Department Stores, Inc. on it's own page.
Federated Department Stores, Inc. is found on page 674 of the Directory of Obsolete Securities. The book states that the company reorganized in 1994, which is irrelevant since our shares were acquired in the exchange by the company in 2005, it is followed with information that the company changed name to Macy's in 2007. Notice besides the company name there is in brackets a state abbreviation, the state abbreviation refers to the state that the company was incorporated in and will be valuable to hold on to. In this case (DE) is found beside the name, as such we can assemble that Delaware is the state of incorporation.
Now we have established the current status of the shares, current corporation is Macy's. If your shares were lost or you have any other issues with certificate logistics. Best to look into this would be to contact the company's transfer agent. Our next step will look into how to do so. Let's continue with Macy's from previous steps. The company was (as we assembled from the Directory of Obsolete Securities) incorporated in Delaware (DE). 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.
The site below offers links to all business entity searches in all states including Delaware.
http://www.secstates.com/
If the company you are researching is incorporated in Canada the site below offers links to all Provincial Resources
http://goldsheetlinks.com/obsolete.htm
Most states have online search options although a few still deal only over the phone. This changes state to state although the state used in our example, Delaware, does have an online business search that will allow for us to retrieve all records. The Delaware Business Entity Search retrieves for us the corporate contact information, the transfer agent contact information and in some cases extensive company details. The contact information that will help you retrieve information on your certificates will always be available here.
To review our research, we started at the local library where we able to track down the various corporate changes that the company had participated in. Then from the Delaware Secretary of State's site we found a Business Entity Search, where we were able to locate the Transfer Agent information.
The transfer agent will be able to confirm with you all of the corporate changes the stock ownership that your company has undergone and the result for you. In some cases stocks split and are acquired and so your initial ownership could at present be of a different number of shares in a different company is a case like that the transfer agent can send you a correct certificate.
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. There are a few stock research firms that are out there for the more complex corporate histories with restructurings and the like that we have not covered. ( Stock Cert Expert ) is if you choose the route of having professional stock research service guide you, the Gold Sheet Links references above also shows many professional research firms.
In all best of luck in establishing you share's current monetary value and corporate status!
Simon Burns
Old Stock Certificates Research
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Burns
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6185876
Excellent article and I think the post that touchs readers's concerns always rock and more comments to come. corporate stock certificates
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