• Photo
A replica of the VOC ship Duyfken arrives at the port of Amsterdam passenger terminal

A replica of the VOC ship Duyfken arrives at the port of Amsterdam passenger terminal, Thursday May 2, 2002, part of the 400th anniversary of the United East India Company or VOC. (AP Photo/Fred Ernst)

  • More Offbeat and Strange News
Will Smith slaps journalist who tries to kiss him
Will Smith slaps journalist

Hollywood star Will Smith slapped a male television reporter …

Eclipse crosses Asia, US: Millions look skyward
Eclipse crosses Asia, US

From a park near Albuquerque, to the top of Japan's Mount Fuji,…

Man wears briefs on head during Idaho burglary
Man robs store with underwear on head

Police in southwest Idaho say a man chose briefs over boxers to…

Georgia woman learns toll of flesh-eating bacteria
Woman learns toll of flesh-eating bug

Faced with the prospect of losing both hands and her one …

Commercial rocket will fly to the space station
SpaceX rocket will fly to space station

For the first time, a private company will launch a rocket to …

Advertisement

Archive finds stock share from 1606

Oldest known share of stock in a company

Updated: Thursday, 09 Sep 2010, 1:32 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 09 Sep 2010, 1:31 PM EDT

AMSTERDAM (AP) - An archive in the Netherlands has uncovered what it says is the oldest known share of stock in a company.

The West Fries Archive says the share in the Dutch East India Company is dated Sept. 9, 1606. That's more than two weeks before what had been the oldest known share in the corporation, which is held by a group of German investors.

According to a statement on the archive's website Thursday, the share was issued to an official named Pieter Harmenz in Enkhuizen, which then rivaled Amsterdam as one of the nation's most important ports.

The share was found by a college student working on his history thesis, the archive said.

It didn't say how it knows the document is authentic. The share goes on display Friday at the West Frisian Museum.

Advertisement
  • Email Newsletter

Five Star Family Fun Update

Subscribe to Maranda's Five Star Family Fun Update for great ways for families to spend time together.

Advertisement