A cornerstone piece of French railway scripophily, this share of the Compagnie du Chemin de Fer du Nord — Paris to the Belgian Border — embodies the great railway adventure of the 19th century. A public limited company authorized by the royal ordinance of 20 September 1845, operating the Lille to Valenciennes lines with branches from Lille to Calais and Dunkirk, and from Creil to Saint-Quentin. Share capital made up of 400,000 shares of 500 francs, created under the agreements of 15 July 1845 and the decree of 19 February 1852. The certificate, in its characteristic beautiful sea-green shade, is adorned with an allegory beneath a classical pediment with mythological figures and cherubs. Bearer share of 500 francs, paid up to 400 francs under the decree of 19 February 1852. A remarkable feature: a complete sheet of attached coupons, with due dates up to the 1890s, which considerably increases the piece's value. Good to very fine condition, light archival marks, sturdy paper. A foundational document for any railway collector, a witness to the Rothschild concession that shaped northern France's railways for a century. BLANQUETTE