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                                                                  EXHIBIT 4.1


                          [ARGONAUT TECHNOLOGIES LOGO]

                          ARGONAUT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.


             SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS CUSIP 040175 10 1

                          INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS
                            OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE



This Certifies that

                    ----------------------------------------

is the record holder of

                    ----------------------------------------

              FULLY PAID AND NONASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK,
                              $.0001 PAR VALUE, OF

                          ARGONAUT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.


transferable on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person or
by duly authorized attorney upon surrender of this Certificate properly
endorsed.  This Certificate is not valid until countersigned by the Transfer
Agent and registered by the Registrar.

        WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Corporation and the facsimile
signatures of its duly authorized officers.

Dated:
       -------------------

                                     [SEAL]

/s/  [SIGNATURE ILLEGIBLE]                         /s/  D. P. BINKLEY
     ----------------------                             -----------------------
     Vice President, Finance and                        President and Chief
     Chief Financial Officer                            Executive Officer


COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
        U.S. STOCK TRANSFER CORPORATION
             TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR

BY:
    ------------------------------------
                    AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

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        The Corporation shall furnish without charge to each stockholder who so
requests a statement of the powers, designations, preferences and relative,
participating, optional, or other special rights of each class of stock of the
Corporation or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or
restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Such requests shall be made to
the Corporation's Secretary at the principal office of the Corporation.

        The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

<TABLE>
        <S>                                            <C>
        TEN COM   --  as tenants in common              UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -- ...................Custodian...............
        TEN ENT   --  as tenants by the entireties                                 (Cust)                    (Minor)
        JT TEN    --  as joint tenants with right of                         under Uniform Gifts to Minors
                      survivorship and not as tenants                        Act........................................
                      in common                                                                 (State)
                                                        UNIF TRF MIN ACT  -- .............Custodian (until age.........)
                                                                                 (Cust)
                                                                             ....................under Uniform Transfers
                                                                                    (Minor)
                                                                             to Minors Act..............................
                                                                                                   (State)
</TABLE>


    Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.


        For Value Received,___________________________ hereby sell(s), assign(s)
and transfer(s) unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
   IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
--------------------------------------

--------------------------------------


_______________________________________________________________________________
 (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE)

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________ Shares
of the common stock represented by the within certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint

______________________________________________________________________ Attorney
to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Corporation
with full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated ______________________


                              X_________________________________________________

                              X_________________________________________________
                               THE SIGNATURE TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND
                               WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE
                     NOTICE:   CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT
                               ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.


Signature(s) Guaranteed




By___________________________________
THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED
BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION
(BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND
LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS
WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED
SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM),
PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15.