Expert: Steven Taylor - 2/16/2010

Question
My father-in-law recently passed away.  In sorting through his belongings we found some stock certificates from the Armistice gold mines limited that were purchased in 1946.  Are they worth anything?   if they are who do I contact?  thanks...john

Answer
John, from the information I have available, Armistice did a 2 for 15 reverse, then a 1 for 35 reverse split before becoming Rio Algom. Rio was acquired in September 2000 by BHP Billiton for $27.00 per share cash.

You did not say how many shares your father-in-law originally had, but the large reverses may have reduced his share count to near zero, unfortunately, Regardless, if he never received a check for his holdings, then the money would have likely been turned over to the government for safekeeping, waiting for him (or his heirs) to claim it. You need to contact the lost property office of every State or Province in which he lived from the time he first acquired the shares in 1946 until the time of the acquisition in 2000. You can search many of them online for free at www.naupa.org and www.missingmoney.com (check both - they have different governments available).