It goes without saying that Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are one of the most well-known investments on the ASX.
For one, as a member of the big four banks, CBA is among the most recognisable brands in Australia. Many readers probably have a bank account or a mortgage with the bank.
But CommBank is also famous for its ASX presence. Until the 'unification' of BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) earlier this year, CBA was the top dog on the ASX, having the largest market capitalisation of any ASX-listed company.
Many, many investors in Australia hold CBA shares in their investment portfolios, perhaps even since the bank was first privatised back in 1991. The company has an impressive history of share price growth, rising from the first price of $5.40 at which the bank debuted on the ASX, to today's share price of $96.90 (at the time of writing).
Investors have also famously long enjoyed lucrative dividends from this ASX bank share. CBA hasn't missed a bi-annual dividend payment in its 31-year history. Like most ASX bank shares' dividends, these have fluctuated over the years.
But it's still worth pointing out that CBA's first-ever dividend of 20 cents per share looks pretty good against the bank's latest payment of $2.10 per share (that will be doled out at the end of next month).
So what is the highest price CBA shares have ever been?
CBA shares certainly aren't at their zenith today. This bank share first hit $100 a share back in May last year, a level it is comfortably under today. But what and when was this bank's all-time high?
Well, as it happens, CBA's current record high is also the bank's 52-week high. On 8 November 2021, the CBA share price hit a high of $110.19 a share. That is the bank's reigning all-time high that we haven't seen it climb to since.
In fact, on today's pricing, CBA shares remain a good 12% or so off of that record.
But it could be worse. All three of CBA's big four banking brethren last saw their all-time highs way back in 2015. That was when Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares were close to $40 each.
And National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares were both over $35 each.
Something else CBA can add to its crown.
At the current CBA share price, this ASX 200 banking share has a market capitalisation of $164.47 billion, with a dividend yield of 3.98%.
