About Us

CORPORATE PROFILE
Scripophily.com LLC, The Gift of History and RM Smythe, are leading providers of collectible stock and bond certificates and other old paper items. We provide research information on old stocks and companies through our affiliated company RM Smythe Old Company Research at RM Smythe.com and OldCompany.com. Our Old Company Stock Research Service is the successor to the archives, publishing rights and copyrights on obsolete research reference material published by the RM Smythe, Marvyn Scudders Manuals, the Robert D. Fisher Manuals, and the Herzog & Co., Inc. obsolete research services, which have performed expert old stock research services continuously since 1880.

We are committed to help promote the importance of financial history around the world. In doing this, we will professionally provide unique products and services to our customers in a competitive manner. We will always strive for 100% customer satisfaction.

Where We Started
We have been buying and selling collectible stock and bond certificates since 1990. Scripophily.com opened its virtual doors in January 1996 with a mission to use the Internet to transform the collecting stock and bond certificates as the fastest, easiest, and most enjoyable shopping experience possible. While our customer base and product offerings have grown considerably since our early days, we still maintain our founding commitment to customer satisfaction and the delivery of an educational and inspiring shopping experience.

Where We Are Today
Today, Scripophily.com is the place to find and discover the Gift of History about past and present companies. We're very proud of our thousands of satisfied customers and of our Multi Million Dollar Inventory with over 17,500 Selections and are adding more selections on a regular basis.

Mailing Address:
Scripophily.com
P.O. Box 223795
Chantilly, Virginia
20153

Direct 1.703.787.3552
Fax 1.703.995.4422

Bob Kerstein, Scripophily.com Founder

Bob Kerstein, also known as Bob.us, is a multifaceted individual with a fascinating background. Let’s delve into some intriguing aspects of his life:

Entrepreneur and Internet Survivor:
- Bob Kerstein is a leading-edge technology entrepreneur who has weathered the ever-changing tides of the internet. With over 48 years of business experience, he has navigated the digital landscape with resilience and innovation.
- His journey includes being the CEO of Scripophily.com L.L.C., a company specializing in old stock certificates and historical financial documents 1 2.
- Bob’s entrepreneurial spirit shines through, and he has left an indelible mark on the online world.
Financial Expertise and Internet Beginnings:
- Before diving into the digital realm, Bob Kerstein held senior accounting and finance roles, including several CFO positions at publicly held companies.
- Interestingly, it was his finance background that led him to explore the early days of the internet 3.
- Imagine the convergence of numbers and pixels—the birth of a new era!
Certified Public Accountant (CPA):
- Bob Kerstein is a CPA and has been one since 1978.
- His financial acumen and analytical skills have undoubtedly played a pivotal role in his diverse career.
Scripophily and Old Company Research:
- As the Founder and CEO of Scripophily.com L.L.C. and OldCompany.com, Bob has immersed himself in the world of historical stock certificates and company research.
- His passion for preserving financial history and uncovering hidden stories resonates through his work.
Liberty Loan Bond:
- Here’s a glimpse of the past: Bob Kerstein’s collection includes a Liberty Loan Bond 1.
- Imagine the stories this piece of paper holds—the echoes of an era long gone.

In summary, Bob Kerstein is an accomplished individual who seamlessly blends finance, technology, and historical intrigue. His journey—from stock certificates to the internet—reflects a tapestry of experiences that continue to shape our digital landscape.

Robert A. Kerstein, CPA, Retired is the Founder and CEO. of Scripophily.com L.L.C. Bob has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1978. Bob is also a Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), a member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He had worked as a Chief Financial Officer and in other capacities for both Public and non Publicly held companies prior to founding Scripophily.com and Old Company Research. He has more than 35 years' experience in the communications and entertainment industries including Cellular, Satellite Communications, Internet Development, Cable TV, Motion Pictures and Professional Sports. He was also the founder of Encyberpedia an award winning Internet reference informational website, Sick.com a medical reference site, Happytrails.com an Internet search engine site, Voltage.com a web site development and hosting site, Cams2000.com (formally Windows2000.com) a popular and award winning Web Cam Site, Stock Ledger Art (TM), and Y5B an award winning humor site about the year 5 Billion. He is also one of the founders of Angel Technologies.

Senior positions held by Kerstein include Cellular Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President at McCaw Cellular Corporation (Now AT&T Wireless), Chief Financial Officer at American Mobile Satellite Corporation, Chief Financial Officer at Falcon Cable TV, Director of Financial Reporting at Warner Brothers and Chief Information Officer at Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment (owners of the Vancouver Canucks and Grizzlies).

Bob is a Member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, International Bond and Share Society and the Washington Historical and Autograph Certificate Organization. Bob is a U.S. Navy Veteran and was honorably discharged in 1970. He began his Public Accounting career at Arthur Young and Company in their Beverly Hills Office.

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Company History

History of RM Smythe Old Company Research Service

Old Company Research Service is the successor to RM Smythe Stock Research Service and is the publisher of all material of the Marvyn Scudders Manuals, the Robert D. Fisher Manuals, R.M. Smythe stock research archives, and the Herzog & Co., Inc. obsolete research services. Professional researching of old stock and bond certificates provides information in determining redeemable worth as a financial security and collectible value. Old Stock Certificates may have value and should always be investigated before they are disposed.

In the Beginning
Roland M. Smythe was a colorful character much appreciated by the re- porters of his day. His most noteworthy eccentricity was his well-publicized aversion to the telephone, which he considered a time wasting nuisance. He steadfastly refused to have one installed in his tiny office at 92 Broadway.

Smythe was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1854, and arrived in New York as a young boy. By the time he was twenty three, he had established himself in Wall Street and was a member of the New York Stock Exchange.

Gifted as a statistician, Smythe enjoyed collecting data on stocks and bonds. Other brokers besieged him for information on various companies. Many years later, Smythe claimed that he had tried to discourage them by charging a fee for his research. Finally, he became so busy servicing these requests that he gave up his brokerage business.

Smythe wrote three books on defunct securities which have become classics in the field. Smythe must be one of the first people to recognize stock and bond certificates as collectors’ items. In conjunction with his research, he was also a dealer in antique certificates, which were always sold with an accompanying letter guaranteeing their worthlessness. “No Telephone” Smythe died in 1930 at the age of seventy six.

Marvyn Scudder’s name is known to all who have done research on obscure stocks, as he published the first four volumes of “Extinct or Obsolete Companies which later became the Robert D. Fisher manuals. Scudder was active in all kinds of valuation services, such as closely held securities, seldom traded stocks and bonds and thought-to-be-worthless securities for which he was able to find value.

In 1934, Robert D. Fisher took over the business which Marvyn Scudder had begun. Fisher, then 32, had been trained by Scudder and was well informed. He continued to publish the obsolete securities manuals under his own name and for many years was well known for his careful research. Long the authority in this field, he published the Mining Manuals (1941) and continued the Series to Volume XII.

Robert D. Fisher, Jr. assumed the research activities of his father’s firm, continuing a family tradition, now nearly fifty years old. When increased activity in Wall Street required access to more research material, the Fisher Manuals, long out of print, were produced on microfilm. Volume XIII was published in 1971 and Volume XIV in 1975, both in a joint publishing venture with The New York Times. Volume XV was completed in 1976

In 1967, the Fisher Organization was acquired by RM Smythe.

In 2011, Bob Kerstein, founder of Scripophily.com, acquired the old stock & bond business research service correspondence, archives and copyrights from Herzog & Co., Inc. (formally R.M. Smythe Old Stock Research Services) from John Herzog. The acquisition included the ownership of all reference material published by the Marvyn Scudders Manuals, the Robert D. Fisher Manuals, and Herzog & Co., Inc. Our research services have been performed continuously for over 138 years since 1880. Scripophily.com also the leading provider of authentic stock certificates, autographs, and old company stock research services.

Bob Kerstein is a CPA and CGMA, and has more than 42 years of senior management experience in the Cellular, Cable TV, Satellite, Internet, Professional Sports and Entertainment Industries. Bob is also the President of the Professional Scripophily Traders Association (PSTA) and Co Founder of Scripophily USA.

Since the acquisition of RM Smythe research service, we have successfully integrated the archives, repositories and resources into our proprietary information management systems. Under the direction of trained old stock research professionals, the data merger has ensured our continual commitment to quality and value with efficient access to this previously hard to recover information for a cost effective price.

Scripophily.com has had items on loan for display in the Smithsonian’s Museum of Financial History in New York and has also partnered with the Museum of American Finance on stock giveaways for New York area teachers and students. We have been featured on CNBC, USA Today, Associated Press, Reuters, Nightline, Today Show, Baltimore Sun, and Washington Post and in many other media publications.

Scripophily (scrip-ah-fil-ly) is the name of the hobby of collecting old stock and bond certificates. Certificate values range from a few dollars to more than $1,000,000 for the most unique and rare items. Tens of thousands of Scripophily buyers worldwide include casual collectors, corporate archives, business executives, museums and serious collectors. Due to the computer age, more and more stock and bonds are issued electronically which means fewer paper certificates are being issued. As a result, demand for paper certificates is increasing while supply is decreasing.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 703-787-3552.

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