1897 Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company - $1,000 Stock Certificate
DESCRIPTION
This is an original $1,000 gold bond issued stock certificate by the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company, a major rail carrier headquartered in the Midwestern United States and operating primarily between Buffalo, Cleveland, Toledo, and Chicago.
Although the authorization date for this bond series traces to June 1, 1897, the specific engraved form was printed and circulated in the early twentieth century, during the period when the line was effectively under the New York Central Railroad system. The document is fully executed, serially numbered, and punch-cancelled, indicating that it was redeemed after serving its financial term.
The certificate is richly ornamented with classic American railroad engraving. A finely detailed green border surrounds the text, featuring guilloché patterns, rosettes, and flourishes typical of high-security printing from this era. At the top center sits an oval portrait flanked by two steam locomotives, one entering from the left and the other from the right, underscoring the industrial strength of the company.
The lower portion includes an embossed seal, elegant typographic scrollwork, and a decorative vertical band on the reverse that once held the interest-payment information. The craftsmanship reflects the work of leading banknote engravers who produced visually impressive and technically intricate securities.
Historical Context
This bond represents a period of rapid railroad consolidation in the United States when rail companies raised capital to expand mainline routes linking the Great Lakes to Chicago, the Midwest’s commercial hub. The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway played a central role in building these east-west corridors before being absorbed into the New York Central system, helping to shape the economic development of the region and the rise of Chicago as a national transportation center. Certificates like this one are valued today not for their financial utility but for their connection to the era of grand railroad building and the artistry of engraved securities.
CONDITION
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