Is my Old Oil Stock worth Anything?
Updated research and articles about old oil stocks and petroleum company histories.
Please support this research! The American Oil & Gas Historical Society’s original research and accompanying forum maintenance depend on your individual financial support. AOGHS is not affiliated with any petroleum company, advocacy groups, or industry lobbying organizations.
A petroleum stock certificate’s vignette often is an important part of its value for scripophily – the buying and selling of certificates as collectibles after they have no redeemable value as a security.
Although often controversial, the history of U.S. petroleum exploration, production, and transportation should be preserved. From kerosene for lamps, gasoline for cars, and plastic polymers for everyday products, the industry’s social, economic and technological history offers a context for understanding modern energy debates.
Popular Scene for Certificates
Collectors have found a surprising number of examples where quickly formed exploration companies picked the exact same oilfield scene for stock certificates.
In the rush to print stock certificates during oil booms, new companies often chose to print certificates using a vignette of derricks!
It might have saved time and money by choosing a common vignette today found on shares of Centralized Oil & Gas Company; Double Standard Oil & Gas Company; Evangeline Oil Company; Texas Production Company; Tulsa Producing and Refining Company; Hecla-Wyoming Oil Company; Oil Prospectors Inc.; Craven Oil & Refining; Buck Run Oil and Refining; Home Oil & Gas; Hog Creek Carruth Company; Buffalo-Texas Oil Company; and the Champion Oil Company.
Can you tell me anything about this old petroleum company (for free)? I found its stock certificate in an attic. Am I rich? Probably not. As shown in the companies below, since the 1850s the U.S. petroleum industry’s boom and bust cycles have left many casualties. For an example of one that actually made it to courts, see Not a Millionaire from Old Oil Stock.
America’s first oil company – the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company of New York – organized it 1855.
Unfortunately, this small historical society cannot grant requests for free research regarding individual company histories and the potential value of stock certificates. As you may have discovered, financial research is difficult and time consuming. If you are fortunate, a visitor to this website or a society volunteer may have posted helpful information.
If your certificate is not listed here, and to share further research experiences, you are invited to submit your query in the current Stock Certificate Q&A Forum.
(more…)