605

International Mercantile Marine Co., 1916 Historic Specimen Bond from J.P. Morgan Controlled Company

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Stock & Bond - Certificates Start Price:130.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 400.00 USD
International Mercantile Marine Co., 1916 Historic Specimen Bond from J.P. Morgan Controlled Company
PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT BIDDING:

PH: 1-201-944-4800
FAX: 1-201-839-3336
Web: www.archivesinternational.com
Email: info@archivesinternational.com

Snail Mail: Archives International Auctions
1060 Main Street, Suite 202, River Edge, NJ 07661

The auction will begin closing on October 4th, 2022 beginning at 11:00 AM EST in 30-second increments.
New Jersey, 1916. $5000 Specimen 6% Registered First Mortgage and Collateral Trust Sinking Fund Gold Bond, Black text with olive border and underprint, Ships in port at top center. Red specimen overprints, 00000 serial numbers, and POCs. Fine-VF condition, ABNC. The International Mercantile Marine Company, originally the International Navigation Company, was a trust formed in the early twentieth century as an attempt by J.P. Morgan to monopolize the shipping trade. IMM was founded by shipping magnates Clement Griscom of the American Line and Red Star Line, Bernard N. Baker of the Atlantic Transport Line, J. Bruce Ismay of the White Star Line, and John Ellerman of the Leyland Line. The Dominion Line was also amalgamated. The project was bankrolled by J.P. Morgan & Co., led by financier J. P. Morgan. The company also had working profit-sharing relationships with the German Hamburg-Amerika and the North German Lloyd lines. The trust caused great concern in the British shipping industry and led directly to the British government's subsidy of the Cunard Line's new ships RMS Lusitania and RMS Mauretania in an effort to compete. One of IMM's subsidiaries was the White Star Line, which owned the RMS Titanic. Analysis of financial records shows that IMM was overleveraged and suffered from inadequate cash flow that caused it to default on bond interest payments in late 1914. As a result, a "friendly" receivership was put in effect in 1915, which allowed IMM to reorganize its finances; it emerged from the receivership in 1916. This is a specimen example from that bond issue and is extremely rare and not known issued.