Merchants Exchange of St Louis, Missouri - 1880's-90's dated Certificate of Membership

Commodities Exchange. Certificate of membership. 4 vignettes - 3 of river scenes & one of the Merchants Exchange Building in St. Louis!! Printed by James Hogan Printing Co., St. Louis.

The St. Louis Merchants Exchange holds the distinction of being the inaugural commodity trading exchange in the United States, having been established in 1836, prior to the founding of the Chicago Board of Trade. It emerged as the successor to the city's Chamber of Commerce and served as a significant commercial entity that shaped the trade landscape of St. Louis while also compiling essential trade statistics. From 1875 until 1957, the Merchants Exchange was the central hub for the region's grain market. Notably, its expansive trading hall was the venue for the 1876 Democratic National Convention and hosted the annual Veiled Prophet Ball from 1878 to 1911. In 1890, the Merchants Exchange constructed the Merchants Bridge to compete with the Eads Bridge, although it ultimately lost control over both structures. The downtown building of the Merchants Exchange was demolished in 1957 following the conclusion of its last trades. In 1995, the organization was displaced from its new premises due to the expansion of the St. Louis Science Center. In 2001, the Merchants Exchange made an effort to initiate computerized trading for future freight transactions on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. The Merchants Exchange building is depicted at the bottom center of each of these certificates. This building was located at the intersection of Third Street, Chestnut, and Pine in St. Louis, Missouri.