Scripophily combines 2 words, scrip and the Greek word philus, which means to love. The word scrip has been long used for different types of financial instruments.

During the late 1960's and early 1970's antiquarian book dealers were the major source for old cancelled stocks, bonds, and debentures. When they bid on the libraries and papers of the estates of the better-off in a community, cancelled financial instruments were usually found in the collections.

Scripophily is a worldwide hobby and estimates on the number of collectors run from a low of 50,000 to a high of 150,000.

Serious collecting in the U.S. started with a few wealthy collectors right after the Civil War who included these financial instruments along with books and the paper money issued by the southern government.

Fifty years ago you went to used book stores to purchase cancelled stocks and bonds. In today's world you can find them at garage sales, flea markets, used book stores, and dealers like us who specialize and sell all types of financial instruments, such as old U.S. and world coins, U.S. and World Banknotes, Civil War script and bonds, ornate and interesting checks. All of these items fall under the wide umbrella of financial instruments. All types of financial instruments are the grease that keeps the business world moving.

They say that America's business is business and we find that about half of our customers both locally, nationally, and over the Web are business people. Many are in the top echelon of the business world, many are in middle management.

Value is always in the eyes of the beholder, some collect signatures of the rich and famous, others prefer time periods or industry groups, while others collect vignettes or the company who printed them like the American Bank Note Company.

One area that is universally collected is transportation stocks, bonds and debentures. Railroads, automotive, ships and aviation are highly collected.

About one third of the collectors are into Business High Art and collect art deco and engraved vignettes. For those of you who fit into this category pay special attention to the vignettes printed on the stocks and bonds put out by the American Bank Note Company, some of these vignettes are 150 years old and have all the charm of yesteryear.

We have a collector who only collects financial instruments that have Mercury on them, another who only collects stocks or bonds with angels on them, another who only collects a portrayed individual or group of individuals who started the company.

Collectors come from all walks of life and stock & bond collecting is as diversified as the people who collect them.

Most all of the stocks, bonds, or debentures listed in this site will tell you the state they were incorporated at. With the name of the company and the state they were incorporated in, you can if interested, find out more about the company. If the company still exists you can write them for further information.

Many companies had their business histories published. Many of these companies still have these old business histories in the basement or storage. Ask them if they still have any or any other written articles available. In most cases they will be happy to respond. Who knows, they may even have some cancelled stocks or bonds they will send along with the other information.