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Auction: 324 - The Numismatic Collector's Series Sale
Lot: 1376

Staten Island Whaling Company (New York) 1838. Port Richmond. 50 shares. Issued, not cancelled. No.1. In the upper left corner whale ships stand by as men in small boats attack a pod of three whales. Another whale hunting scene appears at the bottom. Serial number 1. Issued to Henry F. Heberton. In 1838 the Staten Island Whaling Company was established in Port Richmond as the only whale oil processing plant on Staten Island. Just four years later a fire destroyed the buildings, and shattered the hopes of the investors as well. Engraved and printed by Rawdon, Wright and Hatch who made use of this design on the notes of the Hudson Tow-Boat Company and the Hudson Print Works $2 bills. The central vignette, perhaps of primary importance, is based on W. J. Huggins painting South Sea Whale Fishery (adapted as a bestselling print, and used on paper money issued by the Whaling Bank of New London). Rare, and the only one this cataloger has had the privilege to describe. While we could find no auction records on this issue, some comparable auction realizations may be helpful in establishing a realistic estimate range. In January 2016 we sold the following whaling company certificates: Lot 1548 Hampton Whaling 1829 $2,160; Lot 1549 Lackonick Whaling 1839 $1,920; Lot 1551 New Jersey Oil 1853 $2,040; 1556 Union Whaling $2,300. Our estimate may well prove to be too conservative, so bid accordingly. VF+. Boldly printed, as this was one of the first impressions off of the printing plate.

Sold for
$2,000