Expert: Steven Taylor - 10/29/2010

Question
QUESTION: I have found 100 shares of Belmoral Mines Ltd.  The transfer
agent was Yorkshire Trust Company in Vancouver which seems to
no longer exist.  Are these shares of any value and if so
how do I redeem them. Thank you for your help

ANSWER: From the information I have available, the shares did a 1 for 18.75 reverse split and became Beau Canada. Beau was acquired in 2000 by Murphy Oil for $2.15 per share cash.

If the shares are in your name and you did not receive the cash, it would have been turned over the government missing property office for safekeeping until you claimed it. You need to search every State or Province in which you lived from the day you acquired the stock until the acquisition. You can search many of them online for free at www.missingmoney.com and www.naupa.org (check both - they have different information). Search exactly as your name appears on the certificate, even if it is misspelled or abbreviated.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks again for the prompt and helpful advice.  I have the
certificate in front of me and the shares are registered in
the name of a small brokerage firm I worked for but which no
longer exists.  How do I proceed?  

Answer
Lynne, that is a very good question. When payments cannot be made the rightful owner and they are turned over to the government for safekeeping as "missing property", they are held in the name of the person named on the certificate. If that person is not you, it is very likely that the government does not know you exist. Therefore, you might be out of luck. However, I suggest you search every State or Province anyway, using your name. It is possible they did have you as beneficial owner, and therefore you are listed. At this point, that is pretty much all you can do.