Western Union has taken of 451st position in the rating Fortune 500 in 2009, having moved from 473rd line in 2008. July 3, 1884 the company's shares were included in the calculation base for the newly created stock index Dow Jones Transportation Average. In October 2006 the company made an initial public offering of shares on the New York Stock Exchange, becoming independent from First Data company. By 1861 Western Union telegraph lines entangled the whole America. It's time to explore Europe. Number of active holders of "Golden Card" of Western Union amounted to 9.5 million people worldwide.