Unique. Only Stock Certificate on record with the words "New York Yankees" in the title. Stock signed by J. Arthur Friedlund and Daniel R. Topping. Accompanied by Letter signed by Edward G. Barrow. Also initialed by Barrow as well. Stock made out to New York Yankees, Inc. J. Arthur Friedlund was a prominent Chicago corporate attorney and sometime secretary of the New York Yankees. Friedlund was listed as general counsel for the Yankees and the chairman of the executive committee of the team. Friedlund had negotiated the January 1945 purchase of the Yankees by Topping, Webb and Larry MacPhail from the Jacob Ruppert estate. A syndicate was formed to purchase all of Louis Leverones 40,000 shares of common stock, as well as 10,000 shares of preferred stock. Towards the end of 1951, Louis decided to sell his stake in the firm and an investment group led by Friedlund paid $1.5 million for the elder Leverones holdings. Friedlund died around 1972. Daniel Reid Topping (June 11, 1912 " May 18, 1974) was a part owner and president of the New York Yankees baseball team from 1945 to 1964. During Topping's tenure as chief executive of the Yankees, the team won 14 American League pennants and ten World Series championships. During the war, while serving in California, Topping ran into Larry MacPhail. MacPhail, then the president of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team, and Topping were acquainted because both Dodgers athletic teams (baseball and football) played at Ebbets Field. In California, MacPhail told Topping of his interest in purchasing the New York Yankees. MacPhail invited Topping to join the syndicate attempting to purchase the team from the estate of Jacob Ruppert. Along with Del Webb, the group purchased a 96.88% interest in the Yankees for $2.8 million in January 1945. In March, they bought the remaining 3.12%, giving them complete control of the team. Item ordered may not be exact piece shown. All original and authentic.