# How might one make a fortune in/off the Great Depression? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 21, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-might-one-make-a-fortune-in-off-the-great-depression/718217 "2015-04-21T19:22:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-might-one-make-a-fortune-in-off-the-great-depression/718217/21 "2015-04-22T18:09:13Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > “Invent” and patent stuff before the actual inventor gets around to it. Picking ones that would pay off in the down economy to keep funding follow invention that becomes big later is the hard part since you don’t have all that much seed. You could also buy a lot of patent rights at a low price. There would be plenty of companies you could buy shares in at a bargain price, and you’ll definitely know which ones survived. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-might-one-make-a-fortune-in-off-the-great-depression/718217/22 "2015-04-22T18:17:45Z")
As an aside. I know a family who made a fortune selling ice at the time. Seems kinda weird to me but there it is. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-might-one-make-a-fortune-in-off-the-great-depression/718217/23 "2015-04-22T20:56:46Z")
Buy IBM stock. ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-might-one-make-a-fortune-in-off-the-great-depression/718217/24 "2015-04-22T21:07:18Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > My grandfather’s father was an accountant during the depression. Grandpa was born in 1924. While the family wasn’t rich by any means (unless someone squandered it all before grandpa got it!), my grandfather always insisted that his family was not hit very hard during the Depression because his dad always had a job. He never had any stories to tell about going hungry or quitting school or having bare feet. Similarly, my grandfather was an accountant who specialized in bankruptcy during the Great Depression. He did quite well and ended up buying a bunch of stock when it was super cheap, in companies like Coca Cola. He did quite well. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-might-one-make-a-fortune-in-off-the-great-depression/718217/25 "2015-04-22T21:19:16Z")
Selling ANTI-depressants! I’m here all the week. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-might-one-make-a-fortune-in-off-the-great-depression/718217/26 "2015-04-22T21:47:35Z")
Do what the Hiltons did. Manage to have a boatload of cash, by chance, when the stock market crashes. Wait till people are truly desperate, then buy up some fine real estate for pennies on the dollar. Can’t miss! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-might-one-make-a-fortune-in-off-the-great-depression/718217/27 "2015-04-22T23:19:59Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Buy IBM stock. See the OP – what will it be worth in 1939? ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-might-one-make-a-fortune-in-off-the-great-depression/718217/28 "2015-04-22T23:37:38Z")
Board games were a big thing in the depression. It was a cheap form of entertainment when such was needed. Monopoly came out in 1935 from Parker Brothers though it was invented long before and not by Darrow as the Parker Brothers’ history tells us. Since Darrow essentially stole it, you should feel no qualms about bringing it to Parker Brothers before he did. Arrange for a low upfront payment and a big percentage deal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-might-one-make-a-fortune-in-off-the-great-depression/718217.md?page=1)