1914 Two Southern Railway Stock Certificates - C66, C67
DESCRIPTION
These are common stock certificates issued by the Southern Railway Company, dated July 31, 1914, and representing one hundred shares. They were produced on engraved security paper by a professional bank note printing firm for corporate use, with registration handled by the Central Trust Company of New York. Issued during the early twentieth century, it reflects the maturity of American railroad finance just prior to the First World War.
These certificates are richly printed in shades of rose and red with an ornate scalloped border and elaborate typographic elements. At center is a detailed engraved vignette depicting a steam locomotive entering a station, surrounded by passengers, workers, and period architecture, conveying the scale and importance of rail travel in the industrial South. The face includes serial numbers, corporate seals, handwritten signatures, and multiple punch cancellations indicating later transfers or cancellation. The verso contains formal transfer language completed in manuscript, dated November 1, 1917, with additional signatures, validation stamps, and punch holes documenting changes in ownership and official processing.
Historical Context
Southern Railway was one of the most influential rail systems in the southeastern United States, playing a central role in moving agricultural goods, coal, manufactured products, and passengers across the region. Issued just months before the outbreak of World War I in Europe, this certificate reflects a moment when American railroads stood at the height of their financial and logistical power. Within a few years, wartime demands and federal oversight would further reshape the railroad industry. Stock certificates such as this serve as tangible records of the corporate structures and investment culture that underpinned American industrial expansion in the early twentieth century.
CONDITION
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