Arnold Rothstein was the kingpin of organized crime in New York City during the early portion of the 20th century. A shrewd businessman and a prodigious gambler, Rothstein amassed a monumental fortune from his interests, which included a casino, a horse racing outfit, and bootlegging liquor during Prohibition. Rothstein’s criminal empire included many underlings who would later make their own mark on organized crime in the United States, including Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, and Legs Diamond. Allegedly, Rothstein was also involved in fixing the infamous 1919 World Series, although he was never indicted or charged with any crimes. In 1928, Rothstein was murdered in retaliation for racking up a large gambling debt in a three-day poker game, which he refused to pay as he believed the game was fixed.

The item presented here is a stock certificate from Allman Construction Corporation signed by Rothstein, his business partner A.L. Libman, and Gail Brown of the Allman Construction Corporation on July 27th, 1922. Rothstein purchased 250 shares of Allman stock, further expanding his foray into legitimate business from the shadowy realms of horse racing, gambling, and bootlegging. The signatures have been written in black pen. The bottom of the certificate shows some staining, but it does not impede upon Rothstein’s signature. This item comes with a LOA from Beckett Authentication (A86049).

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