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Worcester Cycle Manufacturing Co. 1896 Specimen Bond

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Stock & Bond - Certificates Start Price:240.00 USD Estimated At:300.00 - 500.00 USD
Worcester Cycle Manufacturing Co. 1896 Specimen Bond
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New Jersey, 1896. $1000 Specimen 5% Consolidated First Mortgage Gold Coupon Bond, Black text with green border and underprint, Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts depicted at top left corner. Red specimen overprints, 00000 serial number, and POCs. Fine condition, has been archivally reinforced. ABNC. The company manufactured bicycles beginning in 1896 and the first bikes manufactured included "The Boyd"; "Middletown"; "Royal Worcester" and "Worcester". Marshall ÒMajorÓ Taylor, 53 years before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball and 28 years before the first African-American won an Olympic gold medal, Taylor was racing bicycles professionally. The year was 1896 and Taylor was 18 years old. He was competing against the best cyclists in the world at Madison Square GardenÕs famed six-day race. He was the son of a Civil War veteran. After he broke the Indianapolis trackÕs one mile record at the age of 15, Taylor was barred from competing there. Worcester was the cycling capital of America, home to six bicycle factories and 30 bicycle stores. Munger gave Taylor a job in Worcester CycleÕs factory and sponsored his racing activities. By 1898, Taylor was arguably the greatest cyclist in the world. He held seven world records at distances from 1/4 mile to two miles and he won 29 of the 49 races he entered that year. Nobody else was even close to this level. In 1899, he won the World Championship. He did the mile from a standing start in 1:41, a record that stood for 28 years (try it sometime). His championships were almost never realized since there were strong petition campaigns designed to bar him from national races. Fortunately, they did not succeed (largely through the public support of teammate Earl Kiser) and Taylor was world sprint champion in 1899 and 1900 Ð only the second black athlete to earn the title in ANY sport, after CanadaÕs George Dixon accomplished the feat in boxing. Historic bicycle company bond that was instrumental in supporting a historic and pioneer black athlete.