Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 321 - The Numismatic Collector's Series Sale and Stocks and Bonds of the Americas
Lot: 1420

The "Shell" Transport and Trading Company, One Pound Ordinary Stock, 1937, No. 61784, all red, steamships, oil tanks, oil towers, IU, VF+.

One of the world's major oil companies. Shell goes back to the founding of a curio business in London in 1833 by Marcus Samuel. A large part of his trade was based on decorative shells, which were popular as collectors' items in Victorian England. He imported shells from the Far East. His two sons, Marcus and Samuel, expanded into the import-export trade, focusing more and more on the transport of kerosene for lighting purposes. In 1890, tankers were used to transport oil under the name of The Shell Transport and Trading Company (London). Soon the company also took over the production of petroleum and acquired a concession to Borneo, where they built a refinery. The results were initially unsatisfactory, mainly because of strong competition from Royal Dutch. Shell Oil and Royal Dutch eventually became Royal Dutch Shell. A scarce and important piece. Bid accordingly.

Sold for
$210