The World's First Share

18 Sep 2010 - From time to time we all dream of finding the pot with gold on a treasure hunt. A Dutch history student from the ancient city of Enkhuizen did not dig gold, but unearthed the world's first share as issued by the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC) - still an impressive find. The share was locked away in forgotten city archives of Hoorn, where he was doing research for his thesis on company finance during the Dutch Golden Age. The share was made out to a gentleman called Pieter Harmensz, a resident of Enkhuizen who served as an assistant to the city's mayors. The Dutch East India Company was one of the world's largest trading firms in the world in the 17th and 18th centuries, and it was the world's first company to issue stock. The VOC share will be put on exhibition in the West Fries museum in Hoorn from September.