Many people who own stock certificates do two things. They either frame it and place it on a wall as a symbol of achievement. Or they tuck it away in a safety deposit box. Share certificates represent legal ownership of shares in a company. But what happens if a stock certificate becomes damaged? Does that...Read More

For more than a century, stock certificates have served as proof of ownership in a company. The first stock certificate was reportedly issued in 1601. The Dutch East India Company introduced the idea. A stock certificate is a legal document that proves ownership of shares. Companies printed them on paper for decades. The certificates display...Read More