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When Everybody Is Digging for Gold, It’s Good To Be in the Pick and Shovel Business

https://q uoteinvestigator.com/2021/04/20/gold-shovel/

Mark Twain? Walter Powell? Collis Huntington? Mark Hopkins? Jim Winder? Gavin Dobson? Anonymous?

When Everybody Is Digging for Gold, It’s Good To Be in the Pick and Shovel Business – Quote Investigator
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When Everybody Is Digging for Gold, It’s Good To Be in the Pick and Shovel Business – Quote Investigator
Quote Investigator Tracing Quotations Menu and widgetsquoteresearch

Dear Quote Investigator: During the 1800s the discovery of gold in a locale triggered a frenetic scramble of miners who dreamed of great fortunes. Unfortunately, mining led to disappointment for most miners. Here are two versions of a pertinent adage:

  • Don’t dig for gold, sell shovels.
  • The secret to getting rich in a gold rush is selling picks.

This observation has been attributed to the famous humorist Mark Twain, but I have been unable to find a solid citation. What do you think?

Quote Investigator: QI has found no substantive evidence supporting the ascription to Mark Twain. He died in 1910, and he received credit many decades later in 1982.