Archives International Auctions Sale 65 Wednesday, March 10th, 2021 U.S., Chinese & Worldwide Banknotes, Scripophily, World Coins,
Archives International Auctions - Sale 65 128 March 26,2021 Archives International Auctions www.archivesinternational.com 811 811 Poyaisian Land Grant, 1830 Series E Land Certificate for 50 acres, I/U Land Certificate Signed by Sir Gregor MacGregor Mosquito Territory (Honduras), 1830 I/U Poyaisian Land Certificate, Series E Land Grant for 50 Acres, S/N 401 signed by Sir Gregor MacGregor. Black text in English and French, with elaborate coat of arms depicted at top center, featuring English and Scottish flags, also in faint watermarks at top. Fine condition with some toning and holes along fold lines. General Gregor MacGregor (24 December 1786 to 4 December 1845) was a Scottish soldier, adventurer, and confidence trickster who attempted from 1821 to 1837 to draw British and French investors and settlers to “Poyais”, a fictional Central American territory that he claimed to rule as “Cazique”. Hundreds invested their savings in supposed Poyaisian government bonds and land certificates, while about 250 emigrated to MacGregor’s invented country in 1822–23 to find only an untouched jungle; more than half of them died. MacGregor’s Poyais scheme has been called one of the most brazen confidence tricks in history. He devised a tricameral parliament and other convoluted constitutional arrangements for Poyais, drew up commercial and banking mechanisms, and designed distinctive uniforms for each regiment of the Poyaisian Army. His imaginary country had an honours system, landed titles, as well as a coat of arms. A French court tried MacGregor and three others for fraud in 1826 after he attempted a variation on the scheme there, but convicted only one of his associates. Acquitted, MacGregor attempted lesser Poyais schemes in London over the next decade. In 1838, he moved to Venezuela, where he was welcomed back as a hero. He died in Caracas in 1845, aged 58, and was buried with full military honors in Caracas Cathedral. Fascinating piece of history from a famous con man. ( John E. Herzog Collection) �� Est. $200-400 SCRIPOPHILY - GUNPOWDER, AMMUNITION & WEAPONS California 812 812 Giant Powder Co. 1915 I/C Stock Certificate Giant Station, California, 1915. 46 Shares I/C Capital Stock Certificate, Black text with brown border and green undertint. Cancelled in ink and POCs. Fine-VF condition. The Giant Powder Company was an explosives manufacturing company which operated from the mid 19th century through the first half of the 20th century. The Giant Powder Company was the first company in the United States to produce dynamite under an exclusive license from Alfred Nobel. ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ Est. $90-140 Delaware 813 813 Atlas Powder Co. 1925 Progress Proof Stock Certificate Delaware, 1925. Odd Shares Progress Proof Capital Stock Certificate, Black text, Allegorical Atlas with gunpowder box at left. Cancelled stamps throughout, writing at left, ‘Changes Have Been Made’ stamp at right. Fine condition. Atlas Powder (“Atlas”) was formed in 1912 as a result of an antitrust suit by the United States against E. I. du Pont de Nemours Powder Company that forced the breakup of du Pont’s explosive business into three companies: DuPont, Hercules Powder and Atlas. �������������������������������������������������� Est. $120-200 814 814 Hercules Incorporated, ND (ca.1970-80’s) Uncut Proof Sheet of 4 Registered Bonds. Delaware, Uncut sheet of 4 Proof Stock Certificates, All are Registered Bonds, Black printing with blue counterfoil on left, Hercules holding club top middle left, All are in XF to AU condition with archival folds from storage. Printed uniface on planchetted security paper, SC-USBNC. In 1902, DuPont purchased several smaller chemical companies, and in 1912 these actions gave rise to government scrutiny under the Sherman Antitrust Act. The courts declared that the company’s dominance of the explosives business constituted a monopoly and ordered divestment. The court ruling resulted in the creation of the Hercules Powder Company (now Hercules Inc.) and the Atlas Powder Company (now AstraZeneca). Rare and historic DuPont related explosive companies. (Uncut sheet of 4 stocks). ����������������������������������������������������� Est. $350-500
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