Rare 1935 Packers Stock Certificate goes up for auction

GREEN BAY – A 1935 Green Bay Packers Stock Certificate — the only known example from the 1935 offering to ever appear at auction —has gone up for auction.

The current bid on Dec. 3 was already at $18,500.

“The Green Bay Packers are unique in professional sports as the only publicly owned, non-profit major league team in the United States. Their history of stock offerings dates back to 1923, when financial troubles threatened the young franchise,” the auction item description stated.

“In response, local businessmen organized the first stock sale to save the team, raising $5,000 through the sale of 1,000 shares at $5 each. This effort officially established the Green Bay Football Corporation, which later became the Green Bay Packers, Inc. It ensured community ownership and kept the team rooted in Green Bay.

“A second stock sale occurred in 1935, again driven by financial necessity. The Great Depression had strained the team’s finances, and the organization launched another offering to raise funds and restructure debt. Shares were sold for $25 each, and this campaign raised over $15,000, helping stabilize the team and preserving its community ownership structure. Unlike traditional corporate stock, Packers shares do not pay dividends and cannot be traded. Instead, shareholders gain voting rights and the ability to attend annual meetings.

“These early stock offerings laid the foundation for the Packers’ unique governance model, with over 500,000 shareholders today. They also exemplify the enduring community support that has defined the franchise for over a century.

A stock certificate from the original 1923 offering sold in August 2025 for $152,000.

The 1935 certificate noted “E.C. Manger & Sons, Co.” — a Green Bay casket manufacturer/distributor — as the owner of the shares and is signed by then Packers Secretary George Whitney Calhoun — a Green Bay newspaperman who partnered with Curly Lambeau to found the team in 1919.

Proxy bidding ends Dec. 20 with the auction Dec. 19-21.

For more information, visit sports.ha.com.