Cornelius Vanderbilt II Signed Michigan Central Railroad Company 1882 Stock Certificate

2pp partially printed, measuring 13" x 9", Michigan, dated December 1, 1882. A Michigan Central Railroad Company $5000 stock certificate, No. 560, printed on cream paper with a brown patterned Greek key border. Signed by Cornelius Vanderbilt's favorite grandson Cornelius "Corneil" Vanderbilt II (1843-1899) "C. Vanderbilt" as Vice President at lower right. Also signed by two other railroad company and banking officials at bottom. The certificate granted “The Clerk of the Circuit Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Michigan transferable only by order of said court" a guaranteed return on his $5,000 principal investment originally authorized on December 1, 1882. The clerk or his assigns would receive a quarterly dividend of 5%. The vignette at the top depicts a railroad engine flanked by allegorical figures representing Agriculture. Embossed seal at lower left. With stamped, diamond-shaped, and round cancellation marks. The reverse is blank. Two cancellation stamps by the Union Trust Co. of NY on March 2, 1904. With cancellation punches, and stamps, through all three signatures. Punches through the "V" and "r" of Vanderbilt's signature.

The Michigan Central Railroad was incorporated in 1846 to connect eastern and western Michigan. It extended approximately 190 miles from Detroit to St. Joseph, and later connected the Great Lakes region with the lower Midwest as well as Ontario, Canada. The Michigan Central Railroad was rolled into the New York Central Railroad after 1867. At its greatest extent, the New York Central Railroad connected an area spanning from Michigan to West Virginia, and from Illinois to Massachusetts.

Cornelius Vanderbilt II's grandfather and namesake Cornelius "The Commodore" Vanderbilt (1794-1877) had forged a railroad and shipping empire in New York City beginning in the 1820s. The first Cornelius had owned the New York Central Railroad, and Cornelius Vanderbilt II succeeded him and his father, William Vanderbilt, as the Chairman and President of the company.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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