It doesn’t matter from where you receive a stock certificate; you need to know how to read it, Step#1: Seek out your name on the certificate. It may appear prominently at or near the top of the certificate and represents the ownership of the stock. Step#2: Look for the number of shares. This informs you of just how much stock you bought. Step#3: Find out the per-share value. It must likewise be easy to find and reflects the price per share as of the date of buy. The buying price may be a reminder to you of your own stock-buying savvy either the stock value moves upward or downward. Step#4: Find the date. The certificate makes it simple if you forgot your purchase date. Step#5: Seek out the company name, signature, and corporate seal. The appearance of the seal and its significance can be traced back through the centuries. However, without a seal and the signatures, the certificate is not logical.