Black Diamond Coal Mining Company Stock Certificates:
Help us Recover the Stolen Certificates

In 2007 it was discovered that our Stock Book #1 was missing from our archive.  It contained the original certificate stubs, as well as glued-down cancelled certificates, for certificates numbered 1 through 250, issued prior to 1905.

A subsequent investigation has led us to believe that someone with access to our archive removed the book without our authorization, likely between about 1970 and about 1985, and cut out the most valuable certificates for the purpose of selling them to collectors.  Most stock certificates were likely glued down so that the fancy border on the left side was obscured by the glue, making them nearly valueless to collectors, but some had the fancy border intact and have ended-up in the hands of dealers and collectors.  (Please note that, over the years, we have loaned several certificates to museums and historical societies, however those certificates should not be in private collections either.)

Being an active corporation, we view our stock records, including cancelled certificates, as a part of our on-going corporate record keeping and do not release cancelled certificates to the public.

If you know where our Stock Book #1 is, or the whereabouts of any of our certificates with a number of 250 or below, please contact us or the Martinez, California, Police Department (refer to Case No. 1509140051).

The prominent printing on each stock certificate says:

THE
Black Diamond Coal Mining Company.
  CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CAL.  

Please click on the following link to see an image of an example blank certificate:

Thank you,
Southport Land and Commercial Company

Below are photos of our Stock Book #2, which is what our Stock Book #1 likely looked like.  Each book contains 250 certificates.

Below is an image of a blank Black Diamond Coal Mining Company stock certificate.