荷兰发现世界上最古老的股票

荷兰一名历史系的学生最近在查阅档案时发现了世界上最古老的股票，是由荷兰东印度公司在1606年9月9日发行的。股票上的信息显示，其持有人为彼得．哈尔门松，是荷兰恩克森市的居民，1638年去世后将股票留给其遗孀和女儿，最终被留存在恩克森市的档案中。这张股票将在西菲仕兰博物馆展出。在17、18世纪，东印度公司是荷兰最大的贸易公司，同时也是世界上首个发行股票的公司。研究显示，在股票发行初期，因为公司遇到财政困境，股东并没有获得相应的分红，到了1610年迫于压力才开始用现金和香料分发了部分红利。

A Dutch history student has unearthed the world's oldest share, dating back to 1606 and issued by the sea trading firm Dutch East India Company.

Locked away in forgotten city archives, the share was made out to Pieter Harmensz, a male resident of the Dutch city Enkhuizen who served as an assistant to the city's mayors.

After his death in 1638, Harmensz left the share to his widow and their daughter Ada and the document eventually ended up in Enkhuizen archives, kept in the northwestern city Hoorn.

As the Netherlands' largest trading company in the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) was also the world's first company to issue stock.

The 'Enkhuizen share' dates back to September 9, 1606, when Harmensz paid the last installment of his 150 Dutch guilders.

Dutch research has shown the VOC faced early financial difficulties and shareholders were not initially paid dividends.

The company finally started paying dividends in 1610, partly in money and spices, following strong shareholder pressure.

An interesting feature on the Enkhuizen share therefore is a series of notes on the inside relating to dividends up to 1650.

The share is to be displayed at the Westfries Museum.