Le Nouveau Monde 1851 antique stock certificate – Mariposa California gold mine

Description

Up for consideration is a Le Nouveau Monde stock certificate from 1851:
#291961 to 291980
Issued to bearer for 20 shares
Incorporated in France
Capital stock of 5,000,000 francs
Issued “For Working Gold Mines”
Uncancelled
Certificate in good condition
Means "New World." Two stock certificates: one pink and one white. Excellent condition. These are for five shares of 25 francs each. This was one of 18 early publicly traded stocks formed on the Mariposa estate. The 'London Times' called this company "a nefarious Mining Company." The name calling, however, went both ways. In a letter from Fremont to his agent in London, Hoffman, on October 29, 1851 he complains that the company men have arrived with no funds to even cover preliminary work. He approved the company to get a lease, but did not give them a location yet. Not until they had the funds to work a claim. They were however, an actual gold producing operation.
The Le Nouveau was the first organized, public company in John C. Fremont's Mariposa District. These were probably issued before this company had any real properties because on the back it says "no deed need be signed." This was the first overseas company to formed by John Fremont and his London Lawyer David Hoffman. Fremont had rights to the Mariposa Land Grant which would become known as the Mariposa Estate. It comprised of 44, 386 acres. When Marshal discovered gold he began to explore his property for the ore. He eventually sent two samples to the U. s. Mint in Philadelphia which assayed at 10 a ton and 2 a ton for the average rock. He hired Hoffman to find European investors in California Gold. Fremont's royalty was 16.6% of the gross production. William K. Smith would become the superintendent when the mine was put into operation. It was funded by French and English investors.