how do i buy a single share of stock and actually get a piece of paper showing its ownership?

You can go to singleshare.com. This website sells just that -- single shares. It is mostly set up for gifts and such. You can buy a single, framed share of Disney, for example. There are a few others that do this same thing. Just do a google search.

This is a great idea, definitely not stupid. I gave one as a present before and I used www.oneshare.com because you can also get a frame with a message added if you want (not required though). It's a $39 transfer fee plus the cost of the stock if you leave off the frame and matte.

business enterprise (Sector) - contemporary Mkt. cost/share - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Cairn India (Oil & gas) - Rs. 217 * skill Grid (skill era and distribution) - Rs. a hundred and fifty * Sterlite Industries (metallic) - Rs. 1100 * Rcom (Telecom) - 720 *** i'm maximum bullish on Cairn India. With the present oil expenditures going skywards, constrained furnish of petroleum and predicted severe enhance in call for for oil, Cairn India is poised to offer good returns. Given the asset base of Cairn India, it is deeply discounted on a source foundation vis-a-vis different oil & gas exploration agencies. by skill of the tip of 2009, its production is predicted to commence popping out from its oil fields in Rajasthan (one in all its 4 oil fields and the biggest in India). hence, i'm in accordance with Cairn India.

contact a discount broker and tell them you want to buy but also wnt the certificate sent to you

go to your bank and ask to speak to their stock broker

I don't believe there are any anymore certificates..............

open a custodial account for the kids..............