Elsken Jorisdochter
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Elsken Jorisdochter was a 17th-century Dutch woman who holds the record for the oldest bonds ever traded in North America. The bonds purchased by her were still paying interest at the rate of 2.5% in the early twenty-first century.[1]
In 1624, Elsken Jorisdochter had spent 1200 florins to invest in bonds issued by the Lekdijk Bovendams Company. The bonds were issued for the purpose of carrying out repairs to the dikes and offered an initial interest rate of 6.25%.[2]
Three centuries later, in 1957, the bonds purchased by Elsken Jorisdochter were still paying interest.[3]
In 1938, the heirs of Elsken Jorisdochter presented the bonds for payment to the New York Stock Exchange.[4]