3M - Minnesota Mining and Manufacuring Co. - 1978 dated Specimen Stock Certificate - Very Early Specimen

Specimen Stock printed by Security-Columbian United States Banknote Corporation. 3M Company, initially known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is a prominent American multinational conglomerate engaged in various sectors, including industry, worker safety, healthcare, and consumer products. The organization offers an extensive range of over 60,000 products across multiple brands, which encompass adhesives, abrasives, laminates, passive fire protection, personal protective equipment, window films, paint protection films, dental and orthodontic supplies, electrical and electronic connecting and insulating materials, medical devices, automotive care products, electronic circuits, healthcare software, and optical films. The company is headquartered in Maplewood, a suburb of Saint Paul, Minnesota. In 2021, 3M reported total sales of $35.4 billion and was ranked 102nd on the Fortune 500 list of the largest corporations in the United States by revenue. As of that year, the company employed approximately 95,000 individuals and operated in over 70 countries, with several international subsidiaries, including 3M India, 3M Japan, and 3M Canada. In June 2023, 3M agreed to a settlement involving payments exceeding $10 billion to U.S. public water systems to address claims related to the company's contamination of water with PFASs, commonly referred to as "forever chemicals."