The fancy colors and ornate raised fonts on your original stock certificates from faux corporate headquarters in tax-sheltered Delaware caught my eye. Each piece of paper is worth 4,500 shares in your newly incorporated widget company. The much anticipated IPO, still nine weeks away. Not even an envelope to conceal them, just a paper clip holding them together. These aren’t due in Bellevue until Wednesday, so they’re going with me for a ride to spend the night on Capitol Hill.
First stop, Benson’s. Feeling 13,500 shares of stock pressed against my back by a six pack of tall boys brings a smile to my face after a long day. The projected value at IPO of those 3 sheets of paper is $1,120,000. The retail value of those six beers is $4.58. The barrier between them is a thin plastic bag. Add Comment