1847 Harrisburg Portsmouth Mount Joy & Lancaster Railroad Co Stock Certificate

Description

Scarce, Desirable and EARLY Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mountjoy & Lancaster Rail Road Stock Certificate issued May 24, 1847. This is a very early example of the Railway’s issue, as all other examples I’ve seen have been dated in the 1850’s or 1860. The Certificate is issued for 23 shares to “ Geo. R Justice & Nathaniel Randolph, Trustees of Edw. R. Justice” and was transferred on January 29th 1853 to “George R Justice, Guardian” as indicated by ink notation on the back of the Certificate. The document was printed by Toppan, Carpenter & Co., Philadelphia, and features a total of TEN different engraved vignettes to include William Penn and Benjamin Franklin at the top, flanking an allegorical vignette representing Agriculture & Transportation at top center. To the left are three engravings to include and Early Locomotive engine, a male farmer, and an eagle at seaside with sailing ships in the background. The three engravings at right depict the same early Steam Engine pulling a car, a lady farmer, and another vignette of the same eagle at seaside. The center bottom vignette represents the Seal of the State of Pennsylvania. The Certificate also carries an embossed seal from the Harrisburg, Portsmouth, Mount Joy & Lancaster Railroad Company above the Treasurer signature at left. Signed by both the Treasurer and President, both signatures were cancelled when the stock was transferred. The certificate is printed on lightly toned, very thin, onionskin type paper. Dimensions and condition are as follows:
10- 3/16” X 7- ¼” with multiple spots where the paper is “written through” due to the very thin paper stock; In other words, The steel nibbed fountain pen originally used to fill out the document, to sign it and later to transfer it, wore a hole through the paper while it was being used. There are two vertical creases and other scattered minor wrinkles due to age and light handling.
A Rare and Early Stock Certificate!
Your certificate will be VERY securely packed and shipped to prevent bending or damage!