How large is the Hobby of Scripophily

By John Örtengren

A question put by many collectors is how many scripophily collectors are there.

I forwarded this question to International Bond & Share Society (IBSS) and received the answer that Franky Leeuwerck, scripophily blogger, conducted in 2011 a poll on this topic, resulting in an estimate of 30,000 collectors. On a global basis the collection of scripophily documents has grown in recent years, wherefore a guestimate today is around 40,000 collectors of old bonds and shares worldwide.

According to the IBSS Membership Directory (containing phone number, mail and e-mail address to all IBSS members) the association today has 430 members in 40 different countries. The membership fee is £20 per year.

In how many countries are there scripophily associations? The number of such countries probably amounts to 15, viz. Sweden, Norway, Finland, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, Poland, Czech Republic, USA and Canada. Possibly, collectors associations also exist in Turkey, Brazil, Mexico and China. Worth mentioning here is that some countries host several collectors associations of scripophily documents, e.g. Belgium, France, Germany and USA.

Auctions of old bonds and shares are regularly arranged by the collectors associations in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Belgium, Switzerland and Great Britain.  In addition, there are auction firms which regularly arrange auctions of scripophily documents in the following countries: Belgium (Boone), Germany (HWPH, HSK, FHW, Gutowski, DWA, RaabKuerle, AWS and Scriposale), Great Britain (Spink, London Coins), Austria, Italy, USA (Archives International Auctions, Spink US, Scott Winslow, Holabird Americana), Mexico, Australia and China (Yanming, AIA Hong Kong, Spink Hong Kong). In all, some 40 associations and/or auction firms arrange auctions of scripophily documents in 20 countries. In addition the IBSS, since its origins, arranges mail bid auctions.

Not to be forgotten, auction firms with other specialties, such as antiques, coins, stamps etc. now and then include scripophily documents in their auctions. A good example is Kaplan Auctions in South Africa.

© John Örtengren 2017.