1864 Civil War Railroad Stock Certificate – Cancelled Day John Wilkes Booth Died

Authentic Civil War–era railroad stock certificate issued in 1864 by the Columbus & Indianapolis Central Railway Company (Ohio). The certificate retains original engraving, cancellation punches, and handwritten transfer endorsements on the reverse, including transfer to James Raisbeck.  Cancelled on April 26, 1865 — a historically significant date that coincides with the death of John Wilkes Booth, marking the immediate post–Civil War and post-Lincoln assassination transition period. This was a time when railroads were reconciling wartime finances and cancelling or reissuing securities in preparation for postwar expansion.  Railroads were among the most valuable and strategically important assets of the era, forming the backbone of Union logistics and early American industrial growth. Cancelled examples with legible endorsements and meaningful dates remain highly collectible.  Condition shows age-appropriate toning and wear.  The reverse of the certificate contains original 19th-century handwritten transfer and cancellation notations, reading in part:  Bought and sold to James Raisbeck  No. 10 preferred 69th  170 Lehman [railroad reference] 43 [shs] 112th  Issued in [ledger reference]  to him  No. 340  26 April 1865  A compelling artifact of Civil War finance, railroad history, and a pivotal moment in American history.