A stock certificate is a physical piece of paper that represents a shareholder’s ownership in a company. Stock certificates include information such as the number of shares owned, the date of purchase, an identification number, usually a corporate seal, and signatures.

The easiest way to get a stock certificate is via a broker, and there’s usually a fee. The simplest way to get a stock certificate today is to ask your broker. If you bought your shares through a brokerage firm, it will have an account with your name and the number of shares you purchased.

stock certificate – On the reverse side of the certificate is a. issuance, and the number of shares authorized in the particular issue of stock, signed by the President and Secretary of the corporation. On the reverse side of the certificate is a form for transfer of the stock certificate to another person.

Historically, investors received share certificates as a proof of ownership of their shares. Stock certificates contained information related to the number of shares, the date of issuance, an identification number, and other important information.

Issuing Stock Certificates A stock certificate is a piece of paper that shows that the investor owns shares in the company. Stock certificate paper is a paper record that shows the investor owns the shares and how many shares the investor owns. The company then mails the certificates to the investors.

Take the certificate to a notary public, and sign it in the notary’s presence. Send the stock certificate to the transfer agent by certified mail along with any required documentation of your ownership rights.

To prove their legitimacy, stock certificates should also include: A seal of authenticity. An official signature….A stock certificate must contain several pieces of information:

1. The corporation’s name and incorporation date.
2. The name of the investor.
3. The issue date of the stocks.
4. How many shares the investor owns.

Be sure to look into the cost of printing your stock certificate when you’re ready to get a copy. Whenever you order a certificate or print your own, there will generally be a fee that goes with it. Make sure you’re aware of the fee before requesting the stock certificate.

Old stock certificates shouldn’t be simply thrown away. They can still have value if they represent an existing or merged company, or if they are valued as collectibles. If the stock has split over the years, the amount listed might not be the amount your certificate is worth.

A share certificate should be signed by two company directors or one director and the company secretary. For companies with a single director and no company secretary, the company director should sign in the presence of a witness who attests to his or her signature.

Stock certificates are no longer necessary as proof of stock ownership. Companies are required by law to issue stock certificates only if they are requested. Stock certificates are largely symbolic in today’s marketplace but are nice to have as tangible proof of stock ownership.

Stock shares do not have an expiration date. This may be the case with an old stock certificate you found in a trunk, but it will not hurt to check it out.