1862 Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad Company - 148 Shares at $50 each
DESCRIPTION
A striking 19th-century stock certificate issued by the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad Company, dated August 27, 1862. The certificate represents ownership of one hundred and forty-eight shares of capital stock and was produced as a transferable financial instrument during the American Civil War, with period manuscript endorsements documenting its use and reassignment.
The certificate is printed on light security paper and enclosed within an ornate engraved border composed of repeating geometric and decorative motifs. Richly detailed vignettes dominate the design, including a central railroad scene showing steam locomotives, freight activity, and industrial buildings, flanked by smaller scenes of labor and commerce. Portrait medallions of prominent historical figures appear at the upper corners, reinforcing themes of leadership, progress, and national development. The company name is rendered in bold, flowing script, surrounded by elaborate flourishes typical of mid-nineteenth-century security engraving. Inked signatures, manuscript annotations, and impressed seals appear on the face of the document. The verso is printed with formal transfer language and bears handwritten entries, dates, signatures, and embossed seals reflecting standard stock transfer practices of the period.
Historical Context
Issued in 1862, at the height of the Civil War, this certificate reflects the critical importance of railroads to the Union war effort and the national economy. Rail lines such as the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad formed essential links between eastern industrial centers and the rapidly developing Midwest, enabling the movement of troops, raw materials, and manufactured goods. Despite the uncertainties of wartime, private investment in railroad infrastructure continued, underscoring widespread confidence in rail transportation as a foundation for both wartime logistics and postwar expansion.
CONDITION
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