Paragon Car Company of PA

[lizzharford22]

I have a stock certificate for Paragon Motor Company incorporated in PA. Does anyone know if it worth anything?

[3macboys]

Here's a previous thread with a bit of info about the company:

 

As to value of the stock certificate I would only be guessing maybe a few bucks as a record of one of many early auto companies

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, lizzharford22 said:

I have a stock certificate for Paragon Motor Company incorporated in PA. Does anyone know if it worth anything?

It's worth much more than a few dollars.  I bought

a Locomobile stock certificate and a Locomobile bond

from a specialist in stock certificates.

 

There are book and paper fairs (shows), where

such paper goods are bought and sold.

My educated guess is that a specialist would sell it 

for $100 to $200.  That's based on typical car-company

stock certificates from that era.  Some highly desirable

companies may be worth several hundred.  If Paragon

flooded the market with worthless certificates and they

are common today, maybe the value is less.  And the

beauty and degree of ornateness can make a difference.

A dealer would pay significantly less than his selling price

if you sold it to him.

 

Edited February 23, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Terry Bond]

Value depends on a couple of things - first, if it's graphically appealing with a car illustration or other unique artwork.  Many stock certificates were printed on preformatted forms with rather generic scroll-work and fancy borders.  Others are unique to the company with their own individual graphics.

Second most important thing would be signatures of notable company officials. 

Condition is of great importance.  Many stock certificates have been folded, stapled, rolled, creased, and perforated with cancellations, etc.  Pristine, minty condition certificates will always be preferred by collectors.

Rarity may not be the primary consideration.  An ugly plain stock certificate for a company that only produced a few automobiles may be worth less than a nicely illustrated certificate for a larger company with great artwork and signatures of important officials.  

Seeing a photo of the Paragon certificate would certainly be helpful to determining its value.

 

Is yours like the one shown in the photo?   Also included is a certificate from the Parmalee Motor Livery and Garage company that is nicely illustrated with an early car. 

Terry

 

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, Terry Bond said:

Value depends on a couple of things - first, if it's graphically appealing with a car illustration or other unique artwork.  Many stock certificates were printed on preformatted forms with rather generic scroll-work and fancy borders.  Others are unique to the company with their own individual graphics.

 

I was trying to say what Terry did, but Terry said it 

with a much better explanation!

 

The Paragon certificate which Terry posted looks like

a pre-formatted generic version which any company

could have used.  That wouldn't be surprising for a

small start-up company without much capital, and in

that case, the certificate would, I think, be on the lower

end of my $100-$200 estimate.

 

Edited February 24, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Jon37]

....or, you could be a nice guy and donate the stock certificate to the museum in Hershey, so they can display it next to the Paragon automobile they have!

[John_S_in_Penna]

7 hours ago, Jon37 said:

....or, you could be a nice guy and donate the stock certificate to the museum in Hershey, so they can display it next to the Paragon automobile they have!

I didn't know they had a Paragon.  Are you sure?

 

They have, or had, a Pan.

[oldcarfudd]

I didn't realize any Pans had even been built, let alone survived.  Wasn't that a stock swindle for which the perpetrator did federal time?

[John_S_in_Penna]

There were indeed some manipulations or

machinations of Pan company stock.  Somewhere

on my computer is a picture of the Pan, but I 

couldn't immediately locate that picture.

 

I wonder whether any Paragon cars remain.

[Michael Peternell]

7 hours ago, oldcarfudd said:

I didn't realize any Pans had even been built, let alone survived.  Wasn't that a stock swindle for which the perpetrator did federal time?

Don't tell the Pantowners car club in St Cloud MN. They display 2-4 examples every year at their annual show.

[oldcarfudd]

Live and learn!

[8E45E]

21 hours ago, oldcarfudd said:

I didn't realize any Pans had even been built, let alone survived.  Wasn't that a stock swindle for which the perpetrator did federal time?

According to the MNyclopedia, they made 735 cars, before the CEO got sent to jail: https://www.mnopedia.org/group/pan-motor-company

 

Like Parmalee Motor Livery, it appears Pan also had a special stock certificate with the car's image on it, vs. non-generic stock certificate template: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Motor_Company_Office_and_Sheet_Metal_Works#/media/File:Pan_Motor_Company_1919.jpg

 

Craig