<PAGE>
                                                                     Exhibit 4.1


                            FORM OF CERTIFICATE FOR
                                  COMMON STOCK

                          NEW CASTLE INVESTMENT CORP.

           A CORPORATION FORMED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND

             THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK



SEE REVERSE FOR IMPORTANT NOTICE
 ON TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS AND
     OTHER INFORMATION                    CUSIP

                                             SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS



THIS CERTIFIES THAT










,or its registered assigns,
is the owner of


FULLY PAID AND NONASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK, $.01 PAR VALUE PER SHARE,
                                      OF

                           NEWCASTLE INVESTMENT CORP.
                              ("THE CORPORATION")


                             CERTIFICATE OF STOCK



transferable on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person or
by its duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly
endorsed. This Certificate and the shares represented hereby are issued and
shall be held subject to the laws of the State of Maryland and to all of the
provisions of the charter of the Corporation (the "Charter") and the Bylaws of
the Corporation and any amendments thereto. This Certificate is not valid
unless countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar.
     In Witness Whereof, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be
executed on its behalf by its duly authorized officers.

Dated:



COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
                                  TRANSFER AGENT
                                   AND REGISTRAR
BY:

                            AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE




            (SIGNATURE TO COME)                       (SIGNATURE TO COME)



                            SECRETARY                                  PRESIDENT



<PAGE>
                           NEWCASTLE INVESTMENT CORP.
          A CORPORATION FORMED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND
            THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK

SEE REVERSE FOR IMPORTANT NOTICE                                           CUSIP
  ON TRANSFER RESTRICTIONS AND               SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
       OTHER INFORMATION

THIS CERTIFIES THAT

, or its registered assigns,
is the owner of

      FULLY PAID AND NONASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK, $.01 PAR VALUE
                                 PER SHARE, OF
                           NEWCASTLE INVESTMENT CORP.
                              (THE "CORPORATION")

transferable on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person or
by its duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate properly
endorsed. This Certificate and the shares represented hereby are issued and
shall be held subject to the laws of the State of Maryland and to all of the
provisions of the charter of the Corporation (the "Charter") and the Bylaws of
the Corporation and any amendments thereto. This Certificate is not valid
unless countersigned and registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar.

     In Witness Whereof, the Corporation has caused this Certificate to be
executed on its behalf by its duly authorized officers.

Dated:

(SIGNATURE TO COME)                                   (SIGNATURE TO COME)

    SECRETARY                                               PRESIDENT





COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
                    AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY
                                                                  TRANSFER AGENT
                                                                   AND REGISTRAR
BY:

                                                            AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE
<PAGE>
     THE CORPORATION WILL FURNISH TO ANY STOCKHOLDER, ON REQUEST AND WITHOUT
CHARGE, A FULL STATEMENT OF THE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY SECTION 2-211(B) OF THE
CORPORATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS ARTICLE OF THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND WITH
RESPECT TO THE DESIGNATIONS AND ANY PREFERENCES, CONVERSION AND OTHER RIGHTS,
VOTING POWERS, RESTRICTIONS, LIMITATIONS AS TO DIVIDENDS AND OTHER
DISTRIBUTIONS, QUALIFICATIONS, AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF REDEMPTION OF THE
STOCK OF EACH CLASS WHICH THE CORPORATION HAS AUTHORITY TO ISSUE AND (I) THE
DIFFERENCES IN THE RELATIVE RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES BETWEEN THE SHARES OF EACH
SERIES TO THE EXTENT SET, AND (II) THE AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO
SET SUCH RIGHTS AND PREFERENCES OF SUBSEQUENT SERIES. THE FOREGOING SUMMARY
DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE COMPLETE AND IS SUBJECT TO AND QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY
BY REFERENCE TO THE CHARTER OF THE CORPORATION (THE "CHARTER"), AS MAY BE
AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, A COPY OF WHICH WILL BE SENT WITHOUT CHARGE TO EACH
STOCKHOLDER WHO SO REQUESTS. SUCH REQUEST MUST BE MADE TO THE SECRETARY OF THE
CORPORATION AT ITS PRINCIPAL OFFICE OR TO THE TRANSFER AGENT.

     THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON
BENEFICIAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFER FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE
CORPORATION'S MAINTENANCE OF ITS STATUS AS A REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST
("REIT") UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE "CODE").
SUBJECT TO CERTAIN FURTHER RESTRICTIONS AND EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THE
CHARTER, (I) NO PERSON MAY BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN SHARES OF ANY
CLASS OR SERIES OF THE CORPORATION'S CAPITAL STOCK IN EXCESS OF 9.8 PERCENT OF
THE AGGREGATE VALUE OF THE OUTSTANDING SHARES OF ANY CLASS OR SERIES OF CAPITAL
STOCK OF THE CORPORATION UNLESS SUCH PERSON IS AN EXCEPTED HOLDER (IN WHICH
CASE THE EXCEPTED HOLDER LIMIT SHALL BE APPLICABLE); (II) NO PERSON MAY
BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN CAPITAL STOCK THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE
CORPORATION BEING "CLOSELY HELD" UNDER SECTION 856(H) OF THE CODE OR OTHERWISE
CAUSE THE CORPORATION TO FAIL TO QUALIFY AS A REIT; AND (III) NO PERSON MAY
TRANSFER SHARES OF CAPITAL STOCK IF SUCH TRANSFER WOULD RESULT IN THE CAPITAL
STOCK OF THE CORPORATION BEING OWNED BY FEWER THAN 100 PERSONS. ANY PERSON WHO
BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWNS OR ATTEMPTS TO BENEFICIALLY OR
CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN SHARES OF CAPITAL STOCK WHICH CAUSES OR WILL CAUSE A PERSON
TO BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN SHARES OF CAPITAL STOCK IN EXCESS OR IN
VIOLATION OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MUST IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY THE CORPORATION. IF
ANY OF THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER OR OWNERSHIP ARE VIOLATED, THE SHARES OF
CAPITAL STOCK REPRESENTED HEREBY WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRED TO A TRUSTEE
OF A TRUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF ONE OR MORE CHARITABLE BENEFICIARIES. IN
ADDITION, UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF CERTAIN EVENTS, ATTEMPTED TRANSFERS IN
VIOLATION OF THE RESTRICTIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE MAY BE VOID AB INITIO. ALL TERMS
IN THIS LEGEND HAVE THE MEANINGS DEFINED IN THE CHARTER, AS THE SAME MAY BE
AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, A COPY OF WHICH, INCLUDING THE RESTRICTIONS ON
TRANSFER AND OWNERSHIP, WILL BE FURNISHED TO EACH HOLDER OF CAPITAL STOCK OF
THE CORPORATION ON REQUEST AND WITHOUT CHARGE.

     THIS CERTIFICATE ALSO EVIDENCES AND ENTITLES THE HOLDER HEREOF TO
CERTAIN RIGHTS AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CORPORATION AND
AMERICAN STOCK TRANSFER & TRUST COMPANY (THE "RIGHTS AGENT"), DATED AS JUNE 4,
1998 (THE "RIGHTS AGREEMENT"), THE TERMS OF WHICH ARE HEREBY INCORPORATED
HEREIN BY REFERENCE AND A COPY OF WHICH IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF
THE CORPORATION. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AS SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT, SUCH RIGHTS WILL BE EVIDENCED BY SEPARATE CERTIFICATES AND WILL NO
LONGER BE EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE. THE CORPORATION WILL MAIL TO THE
HOLDER OF THIS CERTIFICATE A COPY OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, AS IN EFFECT ON THE
DATE OF MAILING, WITHOUT CHARGE, PROMPTLY AFTER RECEIPT OF A WRITTEN REQUEST
THEREFOR. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT, RIGHTS
ISSUED TO, OR HELD BY, ANY PERSON WHO IS, WAS OR BECOMES AN ACQUIRING PERSON OR
ANY AFFILIATE OR ASSOCIATE THEREOF (AS SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS
AGREEMENT), WHETHER CURRENTLY HELD BY OR ON BEHALF OF SUCH PERSON OR BY AN
SUBSEQUENT HOLDER, MAY BECOME NULL AND VOID.

     KEEP THIS CERTIFICATE IN A SAFE PLACE. IF IT IS LOST, STOLEN, OR
DESTROYED, THE CORPORATION WILL REQUIRE A BOND OF INDEMNITY AS A CONDITION TO
THE ISSUANCE OF A REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE.

     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:

   TEN COM -as tenants in common           UNIF GIFT
   TEN ENT -as tenants by the entireties      MIN ACT-_______ Custodian _______
   JT TEN  -as joint tenants with right of            (Cust)           (Minor)
            survivorship and not as tenants        under Uniform Gifts to Minors
            in common                              Act _________________________
                                                               (State)

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

For value received, _________________ hereby sell, assign and transfer unto


PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
   IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE

________________________________________
<PAGE>
    Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

For value received, _______________ hereby sell, assign and transfer 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 capital 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 _______________

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


SIGNATURES(S) GUARANTEED:_______________________________________________________
                         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.