On April 4, 2023, Earl Bennett donated his collection of 1,500 historic Idaho mining stock certificates to U of I Library Special Collections and Archives. Bennett, a former University of Idaho professor, is a scripophile, or someone who collects bond and share certificates. While this specialty may not be widely known, the historic value of the material collected is insurmountable.

These stock certificates not only highlight the history of mining in Idaho, but they also bring this expansive history to a ground level. The certificates themselves are full of historic detail. They contain the names of people, companies, dates, locations, and even bank information. Not to mention the designs on the certificates are works of art.

The intention is to create a digital collection from these materials. Digitizing this integral part of Idaho history is one of the many ways we can preserve the past. Stay tuned for more news on the progress!

For more information about donations, check out Special Collections and Archives.