Continental Oil Co. - Specimen Stock Certificate - Part of the Standard Oil Breakup

Stock printed by American Bank Note Company. This example does have folds.

Founded in 1875 by Isaac Blake in Ogden, Utah, the Continental Oil and Transportation Company initially served as a regional distributor of kerosene and lubricants in the American West. Blake’s groundbreaking innovation lay in the efficient logistics of transporting oil from the East to the frontier, eventually leading to the company’s expansion into refining and production. In 1884, the company was absorbed into the Standard Oil Trust, but it regained its independence in 1913 after the landmark Supreme Court antitrust ruling that dismantled John D. Rockefeller’s monopoly. This newfound autonomy enabled the company to transition from a mere distributor to a fully integrated energy giant, establishing a strong presence in the Rocky Mountain region.

The most transformative period for the company commenced in 1929 with its merger with the Marland Oil Company. Although Marland was the larger entity, the merged firm adopted the more prestigious Continental name, eventually becoming widely recognized by its shorthand brand: Conoco. Over the subsequent decades, Conoco pioneered offshore drilling technologies in the Gulf of Mexico and expanded its global reach, including significant operations in the North Sea. In 2002, the company underwent its final major evolution by merging with Phillips Petroleum to form ConocoPhillips, which continues to be one of the world’s largest independent pure-play exploration and production companies today.