In corporate law, a stock certificate is a legal document that certifies the legal interest of ownership of a specific number of shares or stock in a corporation.
Certificate for a share in Kennet and Avon Canal Navigation, Great Britain, 1808
One of the oldest known stock certificates, issued by the VOC-chamber of Enkhuizen, dated 9 September 1606
Colorado & Red River Land Co., 1835
New Jersey Midland Railway Co., 1872
In financial markets, a share is a unit of equity ownership in the capital stock of a corporation, and can refer to units of mutual funds, limited partnerships, and real estate investment trusts. Share capital refers to all of the shares of an enterprise. The owner of shares in a company is a shareholder of the corporation. A share is an indivisible unit of capital, expressing the ownership relationship between the company and the shareholder. The denominated value of a share is its face value, and the total of the face value of issued shares represent the capital of a company, which may not reflect the market value of those shares.
A share certificate from 1936 entitling the holder to shares in Greyhound Lines