# "If you believe that, I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 7, 2014, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-believe-that-ive-got-a-bridge-id-like-to-sell-you/697795 "2014-09-07T19:38:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Plutonium\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Plutonium\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Plutonium_Kid)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-believe-that-ive-got-a-bridge-id-like-to-sell-you/697795/21 "2014-09-08T02:44:07Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > If you believe your friend, I’ve got this bridge… > Check out [this Milwaukee Journal article from 1985.](http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19850915&id=PWMaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZyoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6698,3925503) Thanks. I’m going to print that out and shove it in his face at the earliest opportunity! _Victory is mine!_ ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-believe-that-ive-got-a-bridge-id-like-to-sell-you/697795/22 "2014-09-08T02:51:38Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Central Park is a nice piece of property, you know. I am interested in purchase of your item. Courier will attach at your place for transport arranged by you. ---
**Author:** ![Killing\_Time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/76d3ee/32.png) [@Killing\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Killing_Time)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-believe-that-ive-got-a-bridge-id-like-to-sell-you/697795/23 "2014-09-08T05:16:14Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > I am interested in purchase of your item. Courier will attach at your place for transport arranged by you. Nigerian 419 scam? ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-believe-that-ive-got-a-bridge-id-like-to-sell-you/697795/24 "2014-09-08T14:04:37Z")
> [@Killing\_Time](#): > > Nigerian 419 scam? But before i need a copy of your passport, driver license, and major credit card to perform the background check for your honesty. Please also send USD 200 to company below for background check fee & process. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-believe-that-ive-got-a-bridge-id-like-to-sell-you/697795/25 "2014-09-08T14:35:54Z")
I have a joke book that was originally published in the late 1930s. It mentions a country bumpkin who went to New York and decided to try to sell the Brooklyn Bridge himself! "Durned if he didn’t run into the man who owned it. He made Homer pay him $500 to keep quiet. " ---
**Author:** ![The\_Plutonium\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Plutonium\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Plutonium_Kid)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-believe-that-ive-got-a-bridge-id-like-to-sell-you/697795/26 "2014-09-09T02:38:10Z")
NM, duplicate post. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Plutonium\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Plutonium\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Plutonium_Kid)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-believe-that-ive-got-a-bridge-id-like-to-sell-you/697795/27 "2014-09-09T02:40:17Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Central Park is a nice piece of property, you know. Will you take small, unmarked, non-consecutive bills? It’s all I’ve got at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-believe-that-ive-got-a-bridge-id-like-to-sell-you/697795/28 "2014-09-09T15:13:46Z")
> [@The\_Plutonium\_Kid](#): > > Will you take small, unmarked, non-consecutive bills? It’s all I’ve got at the moment. You better not say another word until your lawyer gets here! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-believe-that-ive-got-a-bridge-id-like-to-sell-you/697795/29 "2014-09-09T16:32:34Z")
> [@The\_Plutonium\_Kid](#): > > Con men in New York in the early 20th century would “sell” the bridge (as well as other landmarks like Grant’s Tomb) to naive, newly arrived immigrants. > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > [George C. Parker](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_C._Parker) (1870–1936) ‘sold’ the Brooklyn Bridge several times. > [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Incidentally, it hasn’t been confirmed that this particular swindle really took place, though it may have. [Cite](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3039/did-someone-really-sell-the-brooklyn-bridge). [Discussion](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=425878). But it is confirmed that Victor Lustig sold the Eiffel Tower. > **[Victor Lustig](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Lustig)** > > Victor Lustig (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}German pronunciation: \[ˈvɪktoːɐ̯ ˈlʊstɪç\]; January 4, 1890 – March 11, 1947) was a con artist from Austria-Hungary, who undertook a criminal career that involved conducting scams across Europe and the United States during the early 20th century. Lustig is widely regarded as one of Lusti... He didn’t sell monuments to newly arrived immigrants. He posed as a civil servant, and sold the contract for repair/building/ demolition to the appropriate businesses. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-believe-that-ive-got-a-bridge-id-like-to-sell-you/697795.md?page=1)