California Gold Rush, the biggest get-rich-quick scheme in American history

How Sam Brannan became the wealthiest man in California without selling a single ounce of gold

/THREAD/

1/ On January 24, 1848, a carpenter named James W. Marshall discovered gold at John Sutter's Mill in Coloma California (close to present-day Sacramento), where he was employed.

Californian residents were the first to rush into the area in late 1848.
2/ By 1849, the word had spread around the world with almost 100,000 gold-seekers and merchants immigrating to California from across the US and abroad, being named forty-niners.

By 1855 the number reached 300,000. It was the biggest immigration movement at the time.
3/ The gold influx into the money supply system rejuvenated the country's economy giving statehood to California.

The rise in population led to an expansion in various sectors, such as agriculture, ranching, and merchandising.
4/ The San Francisco population exploded from 200 residents in 1846 to 30,000 in 1852.

Many cities and infrastructure was built across California.

New methods of mining and transportation were developed creating a technological boom.
5/ Due to the increased demand, prices of goods skyrocketed.

In today's terms, a single egg cost $25, and a pair of second-hand boots more than $2,000.

Gold worth tens of billions of dollars (in today's terms) was recovered.
6/ Among the miners, only a small minority made a modest earning, with most barely breaking even due to taxes and the high operational costs.

Most of the profits were made by merchants and savvy entrepreneurs.
7/ One of them was Levi Strauss who sold denim overalls, that could withstand harsh conditions, to miners.

Others were industrialist Philip Armour, who was operating sluices controlling the water flow to the mined rivers.
8/ John Studebaker, who manufactured wheelbarrows.

Henry Wells and William Fargo, who started an enterprise that became one of the biggest financial institutions in the country.
9/ Most notable among them was Sam Brannan a merchant, businessman, and newspaper publisher.

He went around San Francisco shouting "Gold! Gold on the American River!" while waving a vial with a small amount of it.
10/ He then bought all the picks, shovels, and pans he could find and sold them at an immense markup to the incoming gold seekers.

He was selling pans he bought for 20 cents each for up to $15 apiece, making more than $35,000 in 2 months.
11/ His stores earned hundreds of thousands of dollars during the entire Gold Rush, which ended in 1855.

That's how the saying "When everyone is looking for gold, sell shovels" came to life.

/END/
If you liked this thread click below and retweet the first tweet

https://t.co/R4wygTP8fH
For more educational threads on financial independence and investing for beginners see below for a collection of threads 👇👇👇

https://t.co/6o3A2IQCMs

More from Kostas 👨‍💼 📈 💸

The Mother of All Squeezes

How Volkswagen went from being on the brink of bankruptcy to the most valuable company in the world in two days

/THREAD/


1/ At the peak of the 2008 financial crisis, Volkswagen was considered a very likely candidate for bankruptcy.

Heavily indebted and already financially struggling before 2008, with car sales expected to plummet due to the ongoing global crisis.


2/ With GM and Chrysler filing for bankruptcy in 2009, shorting the VW stock would seem a safe bet.

If you are not familiar with stock shorts and short squeezes check my thread


3/ On October 26, 2008, Porsche announced it had increased its stake at VW from 30% to 74%.

This was a surprise to many who were led to believe that Porsche wasn't planning a takeover of VW, based on the company's announcements.


4/ Before the announcement, the short interest was approximately 13% of the outstanding shares, a number considered relatively low.

Porsche had a 30% stake, the Lower Saxony government fund held 20% of the shares, and another 5% was held by index funds.
If you want to become financially independent and don't know where to start, here is a thread that will help you get started

/THREAD/

1. Review your expenses and make a budget

It will help you see where you overspend, make a plan to save, pay down debt and start


2. Set your investing and retirement goals

How much do you need to support yourself in retirement and when do you want to


3. The earlier you start investing, the better.

Here's why and how time and compounding can become your


4. Invest in an index fund

It's easy, safe, cheap, and the best choice for a beginner in investing, with not much time for

More from Trading

You May Also Like

A THREAD ON @SarangSood

Decoded his way of analysis/logics for everyone to easily understand.

Have covered:
1. Analysis of volatility, how to foresee/signs.
2. Workbook
3. When to sell options
4. Diff category of days
5. How movement of option prices tell us what will happen

1. Keeps following volatility super closely.

Makes 7-8 different strategies to give him a sense of what's going on.

Whichever gives highest profit he trades in.


2. Theta falls when market moves.
Falls where market is headed towards not on our original position.


3. If you're an options seller then sell only when volatility is dropping, there is a high probability of you making the right trade and getting profit as a result

He believes in a market operator, if market mover sells volatility Sarang Sir joins him.


4. Theta decay vs Fall in vega

Sell when Vega is falling rather than for theta decay. You won't be trapped and higher probability of making profit.