22 April 1889: The Oklahoma Land Rush begins at noon

At noon on April 22, 1889 a gunshot started the Oklahoma Land Run, and tens of thousands of settlers raced to claim parcels of some two million acres of unassigned land. Towns such as Oklahoma City and Guthrie sprang up almost overnight. Some participants, the so-called Sooners, had snuck in early to grab the best plots. Land grabs, it turns out, have always rewarded the people who ignore the starting gun.

The lesson: In any rush for assets, the people who arrive first and quietly often get the best prices.