Share certificates invalid

abbymax

Hi, I have 2 share certificates for a company purchased at different times. I was trying to sell the shares but have been advised that the older certificate from 2000 is no longer valid and I cannot cash it in/sell it. I'm confused as to how a share certificate can become worthless when the second certificate for the same company is still valid. Thanks in advance.

p00hsticks

Can you name the company ? Is it possible that there's been a merger / rights issue / takeover and the old certificate was either replaced with a newer one or a cheque issued for a sale.....I've had it happen a few times with my certificated shares.

Are you sure the newer one wasn't issued as a replacement for the older one ?

Alexland

Is it possible the second certificate is a replacement of the first following a corporate action such as a stock split?

Billy_B_North

I’ve seen a few cases of people realizing after much back and forth that they sold their holdings years previously but forgot about it, possibly when the shares went electronic.

Thrugelmir

Name the company concerned. There's bound to be a logical explanation. 

maxsteam

The certificate will contain all the details needed to answer the question. Generally, when there's a "corporate event" that necessitates issuing new certificates, the registrar does not bother to ask for the old certificates to be returned or destroyed. The value of the assets on the old certificate is "moved" to the new certificate and/or a payment. The old certificates just become historical documents and nothing more. You should not destroy the old certificate unless you are certain that it has no value.