Included in this lot are Arizona and New Mexico Territories issued and signed Mining Stock Shares, circa 1879 to 1914. Provenance: From the Tombstone Western Heritage Museum in Tombstone, Arizona. Mines include The Standard Mining Company, Maricopa Mica Mining Company, The Massachusetts and New Mexico Mining Co., Flourine Mining and Milling Co., Courtland Copper Co. Consolidated, and, Tombstone Consolidated Gold & Silver Mining Co. The first four certificates were issued and signed by respective corporate officers. The Massachusetts and New Mexico Mining Company certificate is for one thousand shares and was exchanged for stock of Mass & N. M. Consolidated Mining Company after the merger with Plymouth Rock Mining Company in 1881. The company's formation in 1879 reflects the intense period of Western mining development and the trend of consolidating smaller operations into larger corporations. The stock certificates from this period are considered valuable pieces of Western Americana. Both Arizona and New Mexico have a rich mining history that began over a thousand years ago with Native Americans using minerals for jewelry and tools, followed by Spanish exploration in the 16th century and a significant American gold rush in the mid-19th century. The discovery of large copper, silver, and gold deposits transformed the Arizona Territory into a state, with copper becoming a major economic driver from the 1880s onward. Indigenous peoples mining turquoise and copper before the arrival of Europeans, who then established mining communities for silver and other minerals in the 1600s and 1700s. The U.S. acquisition led to American gold rushes in the Ortiz Mountains and the growth of coal mining in the 1850s, while the late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the development of major copper silver operations. The stock certificates are in well preserved condition, each in clear plastic protective sleeves. Age tanning consistent with age, some edge tears noted. Protective sleeves measure 9.5"W x 11.25"L, combined weight is U6.