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Virginia & Truckee Railroad: Sharon, Ralston, Mills, Barren and Bell - Premier Autograph Stock Cert.

Currency:USD Category:Western Americana / Collectibles - Railroad Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:1,000.00 - 1,500.00 USD
Virginia & Truckee Railroad: Sharon, Ralston, Mills, Barren and Bell - Premier Autograph Stock Cert.
SOLD
1,300.00USD+ (260.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2016 Dec 10 @ 18:49UTC-8 : PST/AKDT
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One of the best ever to reach the market! Stock number 30 of 500 shares issued to Warren Barron on June 21, 1869. Signed by William Sharon as president and F(redrick) A. Tritle as secretary. Back is endorsed by W. C. Ralston, D. O. Mills, and Thomas Bell as executors of the will of William Barron. Certificate is in near perfect condition. Includes a 25 cent Nevada Revenue Stamp and 25 cent U. S. Revenue Stamp. These are all the major players in the Comstock at this time. Ralston was the founder of the Bank of California which was the financial giant that financed the V&T. William Sharon was his agent and president of the V&T. Bell, Sharon, Ralston, and Mills were 4 of the 5 Directors for the V&T. Mills was the first president of the Bank of California and his estate was the beginning of Millbrae. Bell (with Mills) would also own the Eureka & Palisade Railroad. All were financial giants in San Francisco. The V&T is was the richest short line railroad and is still on of the most legendary in the United States. (History of Nevada by Thompson; Popular Science, October 1896; Silver Short Line by Wurm & Demoro)



TIMELINE:

1864: The ores of the Comstock were worked out (first strike).

1865: William Sharon and William Ralston (Bank of California) decided to gain control of the Comstock by advancing more loan money to mills and taking control when they couldn't make their payments.

1867, June: Ralston, Sharon, Alvinza Hayward, D. O. Mills, Thomas Bell, Charles Bonner, William Barron, and Thomas Sunderland made their play to control the Comstock through their mills. They became known as the 'Bank Crowd.'

1868: When asked if a railroad could be built to Virginia City, Sharon and Ralston immediately began working on it.

1869: The V&T reaches Gold Hill.

1870: The V&T is completed. (George Garfield & Robert Greenawalt Railway Express and Wells Fargo Collection) State: Nevada City: Virginia City Date: 1869 FHWAC#: 41710