LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2006 October Signature Sports Auction #705  / 

19599

1915 New York Yankees Stock Certificate #1

Currency:USD Category:Sports - Cards & Fan Shop Start Price:1,500.00 USD Estimated At:6,000.00 - 8,000.00 USD
1915 New York Yankees Stock Certificate #1
<B>1915 New York Yankees Stock Certificate Number One.</B></I> Arguably as important as the acquisition of Babe Ruth to the ascension of this storied franchise from bottom dweller to perennial World Championship status was the the sale of the struggling franchise to Colonel Jacob Ruppert in December 1914 for the sum of $460,000. It was the wealthy brewery owner who would purchase the Babe, hire Hall of Fame executive Ed Barrow, and build the game's most hallowed ballfield in the Bronx. Presented here is the seminal document that forever changed the path of New York Yankees franchise history, American League Baseball Club of New York, Inc. Capital Stock Trust Certificate number one.<BR><BR> This voided certificate dated February 2, 1915 issues "Fifteen Hundred (1500)" shares of stock to Jacob Ruppert, Jr., valued at one hundred dollars each. The receipt for this transaction is affixed with an ancient staple at left, with each piece bearing a red stamped digit "1" in the "No." field. Colonel Ruppert's black fountain pen ink signature appears at bottom of the receipt. A handwritten note at the top of the certificate itself reads, "surrendered for cancellation and reissue."<BR><BR> It must be noted that a signature has been removed from the certificate, leaving behind an empty window, though this is to be forgiven as the removal of the signature was the manner by which the certificates of this era were cancelled. Certainly this does nothing to minimize the monumental importance of a piece that marks one of the most important transactions in the history of American sport. Aside from this signature removal, the piece offers no noteworthy condition issues, only light edge wear and some minor rust spotting from the ninety year old staples at left. With the paperwork that transferred Babe Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees selling last year for just short of one million dollars, it is clear that collectors understand that the history of baseball didn't happen only on the field. We expect that this remarkable document will be seen for the tremendously relevant artifact that it is, and that the most serious of baseball historians will bid accordingly. <I>LOA from PSA/DNA.</B></I>
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