Beautiful Bicolor Stock Certificate From 1852

Sometimes you see something that, even though it's outside your focal areas, is just too pretty to pass up. This is one of those items.

It's a stock certificate from The South Fork Canal Company, Placerville, California, dated December 9, 1852 (so 9 years before the Civil War tax was implemented).

Not only are the vignettes extremely attractive, but black only on the front and red only on the reverse, creating an interesting bicolor effect when looking at it, due to the fact that it is printed on tissue paper and the color shows through from the reverse side.

All things considered, this is in pristine condition.

Amazing item....I love this, thanks for showing it.

Very nice gold rush stock! The dimensions are unusual -- is that pretty close to banknote size? I wonder if this was intended to circulate, like scrip.