THE AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY - STOCK CERTIFICATE SIGNED 05/01/1866 CO-SIGNED BY: HENRY WELLS, ALEXANDER HOLLAND, JAMES C. FARGO - HFSID 15284

AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY: HENRY WELLS and JAMES C. FARGO
1866 stock certificate in American Express Company, signed by founder Wells and company officers Fargo and Holland. This certificate dates from only 16 years after the company's founding in 1850.
Stock certificate signed: "Henry Wells" as President, "Jas. C. Fargo" as Secretary pro tem and "Alex Holland" as Treasurer. 1 page, 12¼x8½. New York, May 1, 1866. No. 875 certifying that "Guy E. Graham of Bethel, Vt is entitled to One (1) Shares in the American Express Company...That the term of Said Company shall be Thirty Years from and after the first day of January 1860...." Shares in this May 1, 1866 issue of 18,000 shares were $500 each. The American Express Company, which was formed in 1850 and disbanded by law in 1860, recapitalized in 1861. The pioneer service transported valuables, currency, mail and commodities across the country, expanding to banking and tourism after 1869. Signed by co-founder of the American Express Company Henry Wells, James C. Fargo (co-founder William G. Fargo's brother, later President of American Exprerss) and Alexander Holland, the son-in-law of the third founder, John Butterfield. 5-cent Internal Revenue stamp affixed at upper right. Lightly toned, stained and rippled. Lightly tanned near lower edge. Top and right edges are creased and have several small tears. Certificate has been folded vertically eight times and unfolded. Pinholes near lower left corner. Adhesive residue and paper loss on verso. and Normal stock certificate stampings, none of which touch signatures. Otherwise in fine condition.