Scripophily (scrip-OFF-i-lee) is the collecting of antique stock and bond certificates. Many people just call them "old stocks" if they're not familiar with the technical term, just as numismatists talk about "coin collecting." One of the fun and interesting aspects of Scripophily is in the researching and learning about the background of a certificate, such as the issuing company's history and its founders, officers and certificates signers. This leads to a fascination with significant events and people in the company and industry of a particular certificate. The many variations of certificates also creates an avenue for searching and treasuring. Permutations include denomination, age, celebrity, color, vignette (the picture(s) on a certificate), signatures, spellings, printer, registration number, aesthetic appeal and rarity. This DMOZ category is for sites that provide images, information and research resources for learning about certificates and educating themselves on Scripophily.
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