My father passed away in 2023, and while going through his things, I found a framed physical stock certificate for 1 share of Microsoft (MSFT) common stock. He worked at Microsoft in the mid-80s and clearly kept this as a memento.
The certificate is dated February 4, 1991, and is in mint condition.
I'm the executor of his estate and I’m trying to figure out the best way to see if this is still a valid/active certificate or if it was "cancelled" or moved to book-entry form years ago. I’ve already checked the Washington and Florida unclaimed property sites and didn't find anything listed under his name.
Certificate Date: Feb 4, 1991
Issuer: Microsoft Corporation
Transfer Agent listed on paper: First Interstate Bank of Washington
I know MSFT has had several splits since '91, so this could potentially be worth a decent amount if it’s active.
Does anyone have experience dealing with legacy paper certificates from the 90s?
Since First Interstate Bank is long gone, is Computershare the only place I should be calling?
Are there any specific red flags I should look for on the certificate itself that would indicate it was already cashed out?
Thanks for any help!
Found my late father's framed Microsoft stock certificate from 1991. How do I verify if it’s still "live"?
byu/Ventrosi57 inpersonalfinance
Posted by Ventrosi57
4 Comments
Microsoft stock has split 9 times since 1988.
Maybe your state’s unclaimed property would also be a good place to look?
You probably want to contact Computershare to see if your Dad has any shares registered directly in his name not through a brokerage.
Source: [Microsoft Investor Relations](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/investor/contact-information)
Contact the transfer agent. Ask if the cert was ever deposited and switched to electronic shares or if registration was escheated to the state. Really just ask if it’s still a good cert.
You can use the CUSIP on the cert to track splits/reorgs for current security/value it’s worth.