Expert: Steven Taylor - 3/8/2010

Question
Good morning, Mr Taylor... being relatively new to the allexperts.com experience, may I first and foremost take the opporunity to thank and commend you for the availability of your services?  I am positive that despite providing values to stock certificates the timeliness and accuracy of your information is invaluable to those lucky and smart enough to ask!

I have been provided 10 stocks belonging to a recently-deceased family friend.  As their life insurance agent, I am trying to help his widow and children settle his estate... but having said this, I am quite unfamiliar with the stock certificates they have provided me.  I've been astounded at the info you are able to provide those who ask, but didn't think I'd be in a position to do likewise; apparently I was quite wrong!  

Prime Equitites, 30 shares, cert #00298, dated Jan 22, 1991
Grand Saguenay Mines & Minerals Limited, 100 shares, cert # 01065, dated Feb 16, 1984
Sasamat Capital Corporation, 20 shares, cert #00116, dated Aug 6, 2003
Spider Resources Inc., 11,500 shares, cert #03283, dated Sept 11, 2003
Tyler Resources Inc., 66 shares, cert #00010104, dated May 12, 2006
The Hewlyn Corporation., 3000 shares, cert #CB01858, dated 20 MAR 1990
Western Resources Minerals Limited, 100 shares, cert #02291, dated Nov 29/83
Mitel Coporation, 10 shares, cert #CB159454, dated Sept 27/82
Aubet Resources, 500 shares, cert #A01209, dated Jan 06/83 (saw your post in January '10 about the status of this stock)
Polo Petroleum Ltd, 200 shares, cert #A03483, dated May 09/90
Sumtra Diversified Inc., 500 shares, cert #04197, dated Jun 14, 1990

Again, thank you so much for your guidance in this endeavour, Mr Taylor!


Sincerely,

James T. Paterson


Answer
Hello James. Thank you for you kind words.

From the information I have available:

Prime Equities did several reverse splits (a 1 for 10, then a 1 for 30) and became Rock Energy, which trades for $4.41 on the TSX. But thanks to the reverse splits, there is likely not enough value there to warrant paying the reorganization and transfer fees.

Grand Saguenay became GSM Resources, then did a 1 for 5 reverse and became HMH China. HMH was delisted from the TSE in 1998 - last price 2 cents per share.

Sasamat was acquired in 2007 by KHD Humboldt Wedag International for 0.1 of a KHD share for each Sasamat share. You need to contact KHD's transfer agent - the info is on the website (www.khd.com).

Spider is still around - it trades for about 7 cents per share on the TSX Venture.

Tyler was acquired in 2008 by Jinchuan Group for $1.60 per share cash.

Hewlyn has no value - it was struck from the corporate register in 1992.

Western Resources Minerals was delisted from the Alberta Stock Exchange in 1993 for failure to maintain listing requirements. I have no information that it was ever relisted anywhere.

Mitel changed its name to Zarlink Semiconductor, which currently trades on the TSX for about $1.70 per share.

Polo became Attock Energy, which was acquired in 1997 by Cypress Energy for 83 cents per share cash.

Sumtra is currently listed on the NEX Board of the TSX Venture Exchange. Last traded in February for about 5 cents per share.

Because some of these shares do have some current value, while others will require some tracking of cash buyouts, all of which will require extensive reorganization and transfer paperwork, I highly recommend that the family contact a broker who can confirm the above information as well as assist in preparing the required paperwork to obtain the value available in the certificates.