I have been conducting stock searches for banks, estate administrators, stock brokerage firms, attorneys, institutions and people like you for 20 years and I can even research old companies dating back into the 1800's. Every year thousands of American and Canadian companies change their names, change stock markets, or have mergers and acquisitions with other companies. On other occasions there are corporate buy-outs or relocations of a business. Some businesses file for bankruptcy and may have liquidating funds for shareholders. People can lose track of old stock companies they hold shares in.
Some people discover old stocks or bonds after a death in the family.
Right now there are billions of dollars around the world being held in special funds or financial accounts waiting for distribution to people by simply cashing in their old uncancelled stock certificates and bonds. Other businesses leave stock exchanges and change from public to private entities. Still others can remain inactive or dormant for a period of time or even go through reorganizations. No one has written more published articles about the values of old stock certificates and bonds than America West Archives. Our articles have appeared in such investment publications as Financial Forecasts, Bond and Banknote News, Personal Finance, Illinois Banker, Treasure Search, the North American Gold Mining Industry News, Northwest Prospector and many others.