Mylan Laboratories Specimen Stock Certificate (c. 1970s) — Rare “Specimen” Issue

A Hard-to-Find Specimen Certificate from Mylan’s Early Public Era

This listing features a rare Mylan Laboratories Inc. specimen stock certificate from around the 1970s. Mylan would later become globally famous for generic and specialty medicines—especially the EpiPen—and for growing into one of the world’s largest generic drug makers.

Mylan’s Core Business & What They’re Known For

Mylan Laboratories developed, manufactured, and distributed generic, branded generic, and specialty medicines. The company produced thousands of medications, including:

• EpiPen auto-injector
• Treatments for HIV/AIDS
• Therapies for cardiovascular diseases
• Medications for allergies

Global Reach

Before combining operations into a new entity, Mylan distributed products to roughly 150 countries and territories.

High-Impact Milestones (Helpful Context for Collectors)

• 1961: Founded as Milan Pharmaceuticals by U.S. Army veterans Milan “Mike” Puskar and Don Panoz in West Virginia; early sales were made out of a car to rural pharmacies.
• 1965–1966: Shifted to manufacturing in Morgantown, West Virginia, and gained FDA approval to produce Penicillin G.
• 1973: Became publicly traded on the OTC market.
• 1984: Launched Maxzide, its first major proprietary (brand-name) product.
• 2007: Expanded globally through acquisitions, transforming into a massive worldwide enterprise.
• 2020–2021: Combined with Pfizer’s off-patent medicine division (Upjohn) to form Viatris.

What Makes It a “Specimen” Stock Certificate?

Specimen certificates are archive examples created by the printer and the company to represent perfect models of the stock issue. Instead of being intended for regular shareholders, specimens were preserved as reference pieces—and that’s part of what makes them collectible.

This specimen can typically be identified by one or more of these features:

• A “specimen” stamp
• Stamped holes with the word “specimen”
• Serial numbering such as a series of zeros
• No serial number at all
• Or even a specimen representing a design that was never actually issued

Because specimens often do not circulate like issued shares, many scripophily enthusiasts consider them rarer than the regular version of the stock.

Collector Note

A Mylan Laboratories specimen certificate from the 1970s is a standout addition for collectors focused on pharmaceutical history, rare document types, and the fascinating world of specimen scripophily.