General Motors Company - Very Rare Variety - 1917 dated Automobile Stock Certificate

Stock printed by American Bank Note Company, New York with great vignette of lion and female.

General Motors, founded in 1908 by William C. Durant, initially served as a holding company for Buick. Durant’s strategic approach involved acquiring various automakers, including Oldsmobile, Cadillac, and Oakland (later known as Pontiac), to create a diverse portfolio that catered to different market segments. Under the long-term leadership of Alfred P. Sloan from the 1920s onwards, GM refined this “ladder of success” philosophy, eventually surpassing Ford to become the world’s largest automaker. For decades, the company stood as a symbol of American industrial prowess, pioneering innovations such as the electric self-starter and the modern automatic transmission.

However, the late 20th century presented significant challenges, including escalating competition from Japanese manufacturers and internal bureaucratic struggles. These issues, exacerbated by the global financial crisis, resulted in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy and a government-backed reorganization in 2009. Since emerging from this restructuring, GM has streamlined its brand lineup to focus on Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac. Today, the company is undergoing its most transformative phase yet, shifting its focus away from internal combustion engines and investing heavily in electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology through its Ultium battery platform and Cruise division.