1890 The Carbonate Mining Company stock certificate
DESCRIPTION
This is an original stock certificate issued by the Carbonate Mining Company, incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois, representing shares of the company’s capital stock during the late nineteenth century. The certificate is engraved in black and gray with a strong geometric and floral border, featuring finely detailed guilloché patterns typical of period security printing. At center is a circular mining vignette depicting an eagle and shield motif, symbolizing industrial strength, national confidence, and mineral wealth. An embossed corporate seal, original handwritten signatures of company officers, and clearly stated capital structure reinforce its authenticity as a formal financial instrument.
The verso contains the printed stock transfer and power-of-attorney text, allowing the owner to assign and convey the shares on the company’s books. The reverse shows the blind-embossed corporate seal impression, formal legal language, and period script signature, with visible folds and toning consistent with handling and circulation. The subdued design and structured layout reflect standard late-1800s practices intended to ensure legitimacy while discouraging alteration or fraud.
Carbonate Mining Company reflects the intense mining speculation that accompanied Western mineral development in the post–Civil War era, when companies were frequently organized to attract Eastern and Midwestern capital for silver, lead, and carbonate ore ventures. Although many such enterprises were short-lived or marginally productive, their stock certificates survive as tangible records of speculative finance, industrial optimism, and the rapid expansion of American mining. Today, this certificate is valued for its age, engraving quality, Illinois corporate origin, and complete front-and-verso preservation, making it a representative artifact of nineteenth-century mining history and early American capital markets.
CONDITION
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