Need broker for 1-off sale of certificated US stock

Hi, I have some shares in IBM that I acquired as an employee some time ago, and I'd like to get rid of them. Unfortunately when I left the company, rather than putting my shares in their electronic nominee system they sent me a certificate - it states on it "This certificate is transferable in New York."

I can send this certificate to then in New York and they'll lodge the shares in the system, then I can sell them easily. Getting the certificate there is not without risk though - it appears to be my sole title to the shares and if it gets lost in the mail / fedex / whatever it's going to cost me dear. I can insure the shares for 3% of their value... but by the time I've done that and paid for fedex etc. I might as well have just found a UK broker who will take the certificate off my hands and do the deal for me.

So, my question is - can anyone recommend a UK broker / sharedealing service / whatever who will happily take my N-Y IBM share certificate and do the deal for me, and at a fair rate?

Many thanks, Sarah

Bitstring , from the wonderful person SarahR said

When I had some similar (but not IBM) US shares I found the simplest thing was check my yellow pages for a local broker to whose office I could hand deliver the shares. If you start into discount brokerages you have the same 'how to get it to them safely' problem. Plus most US share certificates require you to sign them ('with your full name') effecting the transfer, which you really don't want to do before posting. You may even need to get the signature witnessed, I can't remember (I sold mine back in 1999/2000 when the prices were stupid).

Get a quote, at least, from someone you can visit in person. If it's outrageous (more than 3% iirc .. US shares DO cost more to sell because of the hassle you described) or if you don't like the bid/offer spread, then walk away.