What Is a Financial Tombstone?

If you aren’t familiar with the financial or banking industries, you may never have heard of a financial tombstone. Contrary to what you might expect, it’s nothing as somber as the name implies.

Financial tombstones have been around since before the 1950s! Not only are they a fantastic way to commemorate a deal, but they also have a storied history.

If you’re interested in learning more about the history of these financial industry traditions, read on!

The History of the Financial Tombstone

There’s nothing more satisfying than looking back on a memento that commemorates a business success. The commissioning of those special mementos has been a tradition for as long as there were businesses.

Why the word ‘tombstone’ though? Let’s go back to before the financial tombstone became trophy-like lucite slabs. They served a similar function but took a different form.

Had a noteworthy transaction, public offering, or stock placement? Then an advertisement would appear in the newspaper. That advertisement came to print in a large rectangular block resembling a tombstone.

Ads became less commonplace in 1933 with the introduction of the Securities Act. That put some restrictions on what information a tombstone contains. Something coincided with this though, the production of a high-quality acrylic resin called lucite.

The Modern Financial Tombstone

At the beginning of their inception, these lucite slabs took shape in identical form to their older ad-styled namesake. The production of financial tombstones became an industry of its own, though.

The classic style is still much appreciated, but now all sorts of exotic or outlandish designs are being created. Thanks to how flexible lucite is as a material, the sky is the limit for design ideas.

Deal toy companies have taken advantage of how much demand there is for commemorative pieces like this. Not only do they offer tombstones, but plenty of other items as well.

The Most Common Uses

The use of the tombstone has evolved since the days of adverts in newspapers, too. Whereas they once served a very specific and narrow purpose, they are now far more flexible.

For example, banking tombstones see use as a way to offer gratitude to everybody involved in a deal.

It doesn’t matter what kind of financial accomplishment is being celebrated. A tombstone almost always makes a great corporate gift. As one of the longest-running financial industry traditions, they also have that air of class.

Companies specializing in the creation of these deal toys do not always have a ‘stock’. Each item will be unique and personalized to reflect the deal or the transaction in question.

The Perfect Gift

A timeless financial industry tradition, the financial tombstone is a gift that you can’t go wrong with. Though they have come a long way since their historical beginning, they have stayed popular.

Keep reading the blog to stay up to date on other interesting and must-know business tidbits! Whether it’s a tradition or the newest developments, it’s crucial to stay informed!