Hello:
I'm Tom, a dealer in antique stocks and bonds and other interesting ninteenth century paper items. My ebay name is Vig, short for vignette. I have been selling on ebay since the fall of 1998. I also appear at several shows each year in the Virginia and Maryland area (and occassionally in Pennsylvania). In addition, I buy, sell, and trade using two online shops, Tom's Vignettes on Ruby Lane and Scripophily Trader (see links in box above).
Questions & Contact Information:
If you have questions about items I am auctioning, or general questions about collecting stocks and bonds, email them to me at tlareau@cox.net, and I will do my best to answer.
You can also contact me at 703-978-9631 or mail me: Scripophily Trader, P.O. Box 2895, Merrifield, VA 22116.
Policies:
I take pride in assuring customer satisfaction with certificates purchased from me. My policy is simple. I try to accurately describe all items to allow potential customers to make informed decisions on their bids. If a customer is not satisfied with the condition of an item, I will provide a full refund. I am very careful on shipping merchandise. All packages are shipped with a heavy cardboard backing, carefully sealed, and plainly marked “Do Not Bend.” I ship when payment is received, because I want the customer to get his/her certificates as quickly as possible. In sum, I want all customers to be fully satisfied with their purchases from me.
I am a member (and officer) in the Professional Scripophily Trade Association. Take a look at this organization's website: PSTA.com. There is a lot of useful information there.
Buying:
I am interesting in purchasing old stock and bond certificates, especially railroads. If you have an item or collection that you would like to sell, email me at tlareau@cox.net and I will provide a quote.
What is Scripophily?
Scripophily is the hobby of collecting old stock and bond certificates. Scripophily is a youngster in the collecting world. Only a few individuals collected old stock and bonds in the 1960s. The hobby started in Germany, spread to England and then the U.S. Scripophily began to grow rapidly with the discovery of several large hoards (for example, the Pennsylvania RR bankruptcy hoard) that were dispersed through auction house glossy catalogs. Today, tens of thousands of collectors participate in a rapidly growing collectible area.
Why would one collect old stocks and bonds?
Scripophily offers a richer collecting experience compared to stamps, coins and other areas. First, the vignettes on many old certificates are often stunning in their aesthetic beauty, depicting old industrial facilities, railroads and railroad stations, seaports, street scenes at the turn of the century, mining facilities and more. Secondly, the historical link is more direct with stocks and bonds compared to stamps and coins. Stocks and bonds are intimately linked with economic development, and historical events and people. A stamp or coin may commemorate a historical event or person, but a stock certificate signed by the individual who made history is a much more direct link to the past. Finally, many old and attractive certificates are reasonably priced. A stamp or coin with only a few hundred printed or minted often trades for hundreds or thousands of dollars. In contrast, many similarly scarce certificates are available for $100 or less.
What determines the value of a collectible stock or bond?:
The value of a certificate reflects a variety of factors, most importantly, rarity, age, aesthetic appeal, condition, and whether it is signed by an important entrepreneur, politician, or other famous person. In the long-term, the more desirable material likely will appreciate, perhaps a lot. But other certificates may not appreciate much. And, there will be surprises on the upside as well as the downside. For example, Packard Motor Car certificates once were relatively scarce and sold for several hundred dollars. Then, a large group of them was found. Today, they sell for $15 to $20 each. The implication, in my view, is that one should collect for the enjoyment certificates provide, not because one anticipates price appreciation. There are better, less risky, ways to invest. Still, I think that if one puts together a coherent collection of stocks and bonds over a long time span, that person is likely to do well.
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