Collection of 6 Mining Stock Certificates and 2 Mining Prints - Dated from 1850's-1970's - Collection of Mining Stocks and Prints

Collection of 6 Mining Stocks and 2 Mining Prints.

Relating to the United States Mining Co., the New York Bingham Mining Company, an early 20th-century mining entity, played a significant role in the development of the Bingham Canyon district in Utah. This region experienced substantial growth after the initial discovery of lead ore in 1863. During that era, numerous independent companies, including New York Bingham, operated small-scale underground mines that focused on extracting high-grade veins of gold, silver, and lead. These operations were labor-intensive and employed traditional shaft-and-tunnel methods before the advent of massive open-pit extraction, which revolutionized the area.

As the district progressed, the New York Bingham properties were eventually absorbed into the massive waves of industrial consolidation that characterized Utah’s mining history. By 1911, approximately 21 separate operations in the canyon had been consolidated into larger holdings, which eventually merged to form the Bingham Canyon Mine (Kennecott Copper Mine). Today, the historical legacy of these early companies has been integrated into the world’s largest human-made excavation, which continues to be managed by the Rio Tinto Group. Plans are underway for further expansion to ensure the continued operation of the mine through 2040.

The Parrot Silver & Copper Company, established in 1876 in Butte, Montana, was a prominent mining operation. Despite its name, it was not named after the bird but rather after R.P. Parrot, a young lawyer. Interestingly, some of its historic stock certificates featured a parrot vignette. Operating on one of the oldest and richest veins in the Butte district, the Parrot Mine was renowned for producing high-grade copper ore that was frequently “bespangled” with native silver. By the late 1880s, it had become a leading producer in the region, extracting hundreds of tons of ore daily through advanced shafts that reached depths of 1,600 feet by the turn of the century.

However, ownership of the company underwent significant changes during the consolidation of Montana’s mining industry. In 1881, Andrew Jackson Davis, Montana’s first millionaire, reorganized the company. Davis built a dedicated smelter to treat the arsenic-rich minerals produced by the mine. Later, in 1899, the company passed to the Amalgamated Copper Company, a holding company that included prominent directors like Marcus Daly. This era was characterized by intense legal battles with rival “Copper King” F. Augustus Heinze over rights to underground ore bodies. In 1910, the Parrot Silver & Copper Company was fully acquired by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. As a result, the company’s surface headframes were removed, and its main shaft was eventually converted into a concrete-lined air intake for the consolidated mine network.

Anglo-Californian Gold Mining Co. This certificate, issued between 1852 and 1853, is not canceled and is in Choice Uncirculated condition with typical minor spindle holes. It measures approximately 7.5" x 8". According to Filer (Holabird), this represents the largest known foreign issuance related to a California Gold Rush venture. The company sold thousands of shares during its operation.

The Anglo-Californian Gold Mining Company, a prominent joint-stock venture established in London around 1851, capitalized on the California Gold Rush. Primarily formed by explorer and politician John C. Frémont to develop his 70-square-mile Mariposa Estate in the Sierra foothills, the company was bankrolled by eager British speculators. It became renowned for selling more stock shares than any other foreign gold rush enterprise of its time. These early stock certificates allowed English investors to participate in the lucrative “forty-niner” era from abroad, providing the necessary capital for the transition from individual panning to organized, machine-based industrial mining.

Despite its substantial initial investment, the company encountered significant operational challenges and internal instability. Originally founded as the Anglo California Gold Mining & Dredging Co. by Luke Williams, the enterprise faced a lack of progress and suspicious name changes, leading to Williams’ forced removal in 1851. The new directors shifted their focus to processing ore using imported steam engines and crushing mills, but like many early mining corporations, they struggled to generate consistent profits or dividends. Legal disputes with squatters on Frémont’s land and the high cost of deep-vein extraction further compounded the company’s difficulties. Ultimately, the Anglo-Californian Gold Mining Company mirrored the broader trend of the late 1850s, where failing ventures and a declining gold price led to the dissolution of many speculative corporations.

Founded in 1834 by Anson Greene Phelps and his sons-in-law, the Phelps Dodge Corporation initially started as an import-export firm specializing in cotton and metals. Over the next century, it underwent a remarkable transformation, evolving into one of the world’s most prominent mining enterprises. This transformation played a pivotal role in the industrialization of the United States.

In the late 19th century, the company’s focus shifted significantly towards copper after acquiring the Copper Queen Mine in Bisbee, Arizona, in 1883. This pivotal move catalyzed its expansion into various sectors, including railroad operations, smelting, and large-scale open-pit mining. Notably, they established sites like Morenci, Arizona, which eventually became one of the world’s largest copper producers.

Throughout its history, Phelps Dodge has been a trailblazer in metallurgical innovation. Notably, they implemented the solvent extraction/electrowinning (SX/EW) process on a massive scale to recover copper from low-grade ores. However, the company has also faced significant controversies. One such controversy involved its involvement in the infamous 1917 Bisbee Deportation. Additionally, there was a bitter, multi-year strike from 1983 to 1986 that resulted in one of the largest union decertifications in U.S. history.

In 2007, the corporation’s independent era came to an end when it was acquired by Freeport-McMoRan for a staggering $25.9 billion. This acquisition marked the creation of the world’s largest publicly traded copper producer at the time.

The Homestake Mining Company, established in 1877, operated the deepest and largest gold mine in North America for over a century and a half. Founded in Lead, South Dakota, after George Hearst acquired a claim from brothers Fred and Moses Manuel for $70,000, the company played a pivotal role in the Black Hills economy and became a cornerstone of the Hearst family fortune. Throughout its extensive history, the mine reached depths exceeding 8,000 feet and produced approximately 40 million ounces of gold—representing about 10% of the world’s gold supply during its peak—making it the longest-listed stock on the New York Stock Exchange.

However, as gold prices declined and production costs increased, the Homestake Mining Company announced the closure of the mine in late 2000. Subsequently, it was acquired by Barrick Gold in 2001. After its final extraction of ore in December 2001, the site underwent a remarkable transformation, evolving from an industrial center into a scientific landmark. By 2007, the facility had been repurposed into the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), utilizing the mine’s exceptional depth to shield sensitive experiments from cosmic radiation. Today, the former gold mine serves as a hub for world-leading research in particle physics, particularly in the fields of dark matter detection and the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE).

The Anaconda Copper Mining Company, founded by Marcus Daly in 1881, started as a single silver mine in Butte, Montana. Over time, it grew into one of the world’s largest and most influential corporations. Initially focused on silver, Daly discovered massive copper veins that propelled the company to become a leading global producer by the late 1880s. By the 1920s, Anaconda had expanded its operations internationally, acquiring the Chuquicamata mine in Chile—the largest of its kind—which eventually generated two-thirds of its profits. During its peak, Anaconda wielded significant influence over Montana’s economy and politics, earning the moniker “the copper collar” due to its control over state legislatures and newspapers.

However, the company’s dominance began to crumble in 1971 when Chile nationalized its largest mines, leading to a severe financial crisis. Weakened by these losses and falling copper prices, Anaconda was acquired by the Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) in 1977. Nevertheless, high operational costs and strict environmental regulations compelled ARCO to shut down all Montana mining and smelting operations by 1983. Today, the company’s legacy is marked by its substantial environmental impact. Its former sites, including the Berkeley Pit and the Anaconda Smelter, collectively constitute the largest Superfund site in the United States. Cleanup efforts managed by BP, which acquired ARCO in 2000, have incurred hundreds of millions of dollars and continue as of 2025.

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