New York Stock Exchange
History

The signal to start and stop trading was not always a bell; a gavel was the original signal, which is still utilized alongside the bell. However, the gavel is frequently damaged. During the late 1800s, the NYSE decided to switch the gavel for a gong to signal the day's beginning and end. After the NYSE changed to its present location at 18 Broad Street in 1903, the gong was switched to the bell format that is currently being used. The bell itself was produced by Bevin Brothers in East Hampton, Connecticut, which is known colloquially as "Bell Town" for its history of bell foundries and metal toy manufacturing.

A common sight today is the highly publicized events in which a celebrity or executive from a corporation stands behind the NYSE podium and pushes the button that signals the bells to ring. Due to the amount of coverage that the opening/closing bells receive, many companies coordinate new product launches and other marketing-related events to start on the same day as when the company's representatives ring the bell. It was only in 1995 that the NYSE began having special guests ring the bells on a regular basis; prior to that, ringing the bells was usually the responsibility of the exchange's floor managers.
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