Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. – Historic Stock Certificate (Green or Blue, Cancelled)

This authentic stock certificate is a physical piece of Wall Street history from Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. dated in the 1970s, is one of the most influential investment firms of the 20th century. Offered in green or blue, each certificate features cancellation holes and stamps —now offered as a collectible.

Founders: Charles E. Merrill & Edmund C. Lynch
Established: 1914
Status: Merged with Bank of America in 2009
Condition: Cancelled with original stamp and punch hole markings
Color: Available in green or blue
Note: Exact certificate may vary slightly in design from reference photo.

• 1914 – Charles E. Merrill and Edmund C. Lynch founded Merrill, Lynch & Co., built on the principle of making investing accessible to everyday Americans.

• Over the decades, the firm merged with other respected names in finance:

  • E.A. Pierce & Co. – A major brokerage absorbed in 1940

  • Cassatt & Co. – Merged in the same year

  • Fenner & Beane – A New Orleans-based firm that helped expand the firm's Southern presence

These mergers created the full name: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. by 1958.

The company led the charge in financial innovation, most notably with the Cash Management Account (CMA) in 1977—combining checking, investing, and credit into one product. Merrill Lynch went public in 1971, marking its arrival as a dominant force in global finance.

In 2008, amid the global financial crisis, Merrill Lynch was acquired by Bank of America for $50 billion. Today, it operates under the streamlined “Merrill” brand as the wealth management division of Bank of America.