Finance, Investments Is it possible to keep a physical stock certificate and also have it registered in electronic form

[Kris989]

Jurisdiction

California

My wife owns a very old stock certificate for Apple. It's very cool looking with a picture of an old Apple II and also the old rainbow Apple logo. She also owns a large number of shares in electronic form due to various splits. Certificates were never issued for them. They were issued directly in electronic form. All the shares (the certificate and electronic shares) are managed by ComputerShare in one account.

She really need's to get these certificate shares in electronic form. For one, they are still registered in her maiden name, and as a result the electronic shares are also. ComputerShare says she has to send in the certificate before any name change can be done, although I suspect the name change could be done on just the electronic shares by first moving them to a separate account, but that doesn't change the fact that she wants all the shares in her married name.

So just send in the certificate and get is done with, right? Well the real issue here is that my wife would really like to keep the original stock certificate as a memento. She has a lot of attachment to it. Is there any way to do this? For example, couldn't ComputerShare put some sort of void stamp on the certificate and then send it back to her? She did speak briefly to one ComputerShare agent who just kept on saying we had to mail it in, and didn't really answer the question. So before pursuing it further with ComputerShare I'd like to know what options are out there that we can request.

 

[adjusterjack]

I suggest she personally visit a local well known stock broker with an office where you can go in and talk to a professional who has been in the business for a long time and might know how to do that if it's possible.

If it's not possible she either gives up her emotional attachment or never sells those shares.

 

[Tax Counsel]

For example, couldn't ComputerShare put some sort of void stamp on the certificate and then send it back to her?

No, ComputerShare can't do that. It is only a share transfer agent. The corporation would be the one to void shares, and they generally aren't going to do it with a notation on the share certificate — they'd want the share certificates back.

 

[Zigner]

No, ComputerShare can't do that. It is only a share transfer agent. The corporation would be the one to void shares, and they generally aren't going to do it with a notation on the share certificate — they'd want the share certificates back.

There is no reason why the company couldn't return the stock certificate after making such a notation. The OP's wife needs to contact somebody who can make such an arrangement. Of course, that may be a difficult thing to do...

 

[zddoodah]

Your post does not appear to raise any legal issue. Direct your questions to someone at Apple.

 

[Kris989]

There is no reason why the company couldn't return the stock certificate after making such a notation. The OP's wife needs to contact somebody who can make such an arrangement. Of course, that may be a difficult thing to do...

After initially posting the question and getting a couple of replies yesterday, it occurred to me to ask Apple Investor Relations. I've done that. Waiting for their response now.