The Millionaire Who Sold Common Rocks

In 1975, an advertising executive became a millionaire by selling ordinary stones as pets. He packaged the rocks in boxes with air holes and straw, turning a free item into a nationwide craze.

Gary Dahl came up with the idea as a joke while listening to friends complain about their pets. He treated the stones as living companions, even including an official instruction manual on how to care for them. The product was so successful that he sold over one million units in just six months. It remains a legendary example of how brilliant marketing can turn almost anything into a must-have item.