Form of Certificate for the Series A Preferred Stock



 Exhibit 4.1 
 

 
  
 Number 

PA 0001 
 PA. 1 
 Shares 
 *16,369* 
 1st Financial Services Corporation 
 INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA 
 SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS 
 TRANSFER OF THIS CERTIFICATE IS
RESTRICTED 
 SEE LEGEND ON REVERSE SIDE 
 THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT: 
 UNITED STATES 
 DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 
 **16,369******** 
 ***16,369******* 
 ****16,369****** 
 *****16,369***** 
 ******16,369**** 
 is the owner of 
 *SIXTEEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE* 
 FULLY PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF THE FIXED RATE
CUMULATIVE PERPETUAL PREFERRED STOCK, SERIES A OF 
 1st FINANCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION 
 transferable on the books of the Corporation in person or by attorney upon surrender of this certificate duly endorsed or assigned. This
certificate and the shares represented hereby are subject to the laws of the State of North Carolina, and to the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Corporation, as now or hereafter amended. 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: 
 11/14/2008 
 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 
 PRESIDENT 
 PA. 1 
 46408








 

 
  
 1st FINANCIAL
SERVICES CORPORATION 
 The Corporation will furnish to any shareholder upon request and without charge, a full statement of
the designations, preferences, limitations, and relative rights of the shares of each class authorized to be issued and, if the Corporation is authorized to issue any preferred or special class in series, the variations in the relative rights and
preferences between the shares of each such series so far as the same have been fixed and determined, and the authority of the board of directors to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences of other series. 
 THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS INSTRUMENT ARE NOT SAVINGS ACCOUNTS. DEPOSITS OR OTHER OBLIGATIONS OF A BANK AND ARE NOT INSURED BY THE
FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY. 
 THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS INSTRUMENT HAVE
NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933. AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF EXCEPT WHILE A REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING THERETO
IS IN EFFECT UNDER SUCH ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER SUCH ACT OR SUCH LAWS. EACH PURCHASER OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS INSTRUMENT IS NOTIFIED THAT THE SELLER MAY BE RELYING ON
THE EXEMPTION FROM SECTION 5 OF THE SECURITIES ACT PROVIDED BY RULE 144A THEREUNDER, ANY TRANSFEREE OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS INSTRUMENT BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF (1) REPRESENTS THAT IT IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER”
(AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT), (2) AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS INSTRUMENT EXCEPT (A) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT WHICH IS THEN EFFECTIVE UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT, (B) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS INSTRUMENT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (C) TO THE ISSUER OR (D) PURSUANT TO ANY OTHER AVAILABLE
EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND (3) AGREES THAT IT WILL GIVE TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS INSTRUMENT ARE TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS LEGEND. 

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be (ILLEGIBLE) as though they were
written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations: 
 TEN COM – as tenants in common 
 TEN ENT – as tenants by the entireties 
 JT TEN – as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common 
 UNIF GIFT MIN ACT – Custodian for 
 Cust 
 Minor 
 under
Uniform Gifts to (ILLEGIBLE) 
 Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list. 
 For value received, the undersigned hereby sell, assign and transfer unto 
 PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE 
 PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE. 
 Shares 
 of
the Preferred Stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney to transfer the said shares on the books of the within named Corporation with full power of substitution in the premises.

 Dated, 
 Signature(s) Guaranteed: 
 SIGNATURE(S) 
 THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION, AS DEFINED IN RULE 17(ILLEGIBLE)- 15 UNDER THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED 
 NOTICE: THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME(S), AS WRITTEN
UPON THE FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT, OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.