The 1872 Chicago & NorthWestern Corner

In 1872, Jay Gould and two collaborators attempted to corner shares of Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad. By one account, they drove the stock from 80 up to 280 in a dramatic rise — then the price collapsed straight back down to 80, nearly wiping Gould out despite his reputation for escaping tight situations.

Real price levels from this episode

Starting level 80
Peak during the corner — your decision point 280
Collapse back to the starting level 80

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