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Today in History: Hunt Brothers' Silver Market Scheme Sparks Panic

3/27/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On March 27, 1980, known as Silver Thursday, brothers Nelson Bunker Hunt and William Herbert Hunt's attempt to corner the silver market collapsed. This failure triggered a dramatic drop in silver prices, leading to widespread panic across commodity and futures exchanges in the United States, significantly impacting investors and the market.

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Story summary

On March 27, 1980, known as Silver Thursday, brothers Nelson Bunker Hunt and William Herbert Hunt's attempt to corner the silver market collapsed. This failure triggered a dramatic drop in silver prices, leading to widespread panic across commodity and futures exchanges in the United States, significantly impacting investors and the market.