The word scripophilist describes collectors of historic shares and bonds. West New York resident Don Mesler has been an avid scripophilist for about 30 years, specifically with Hudson County’s bonds.
“It’s just out of an interest for history, and my passion for collecting,” said Mesler recently. “I was a stock broker and an investment advisor, and my clients would inherit these [bond certificates] that were worthless and of no use to them, but I collected them.”
About 10 years ago, Mesler realized there was a growing market in scripophily when he began selling his duplicates. Over the last five years much of the trading has been done on internet sites such as eBay.
“At any one time, there thousands of certificates were offered for anywhere from a penny to $1,000,” said Mesler.
Mesler specializes in American and Canadian securities, but the scripophily trade market can include certificates from all over the world.
A few years ago, Mesler was able to include his hobby as a presentation in the Hudson/Manhattan Railroad’s 100th anniversary, organized by the Hoboken Historical Society in 2003.
“Now I’m writing a book about security stock and bonds,” said Mesler. “It’s a labor of love and it’s taken me a long time.”
Scripophily trade has had a live market for the last five years, and Mesler advises anyone interested in becoming a serious collector to find a specialization to focus on, such as industrial Hudson County.
Mesler has been a dealer for the last 10 years, and has found pieces that have been subsequently used in exhibitions of the Hoboken Historical Museum, the Jersey City Museum, and the Newark Museum.
He also continues to find securities for the personal collection of individual clients, and currently has about 2,000 certificates in his inventory in suberb condition, which are all for sale.
“Your can buy them from dealer listings, live auctions and even online auctions from sites like eBay, or you can buy them from mailing auctions,” said Mesler.
Anyone interested in purchasing or gaining further information on these stocks and bonds can reach Don Mesler at (917) 576-3352, or at dmesler@optonline.net.