Silver Dollar

Yates Martin uproots his wife Sarah and infant son and moves to 1876 Colorado in search of gold. He buys a mining claim there but quickly abandons it after two prospectors tell him of a strike in Leadville. Following Sarah's prudent advice, he shifts to Leadville and sets up a store to capitalize on the town's growing boom.

With funds dwindling, Yates begins staking miners in return for partnerships in their diggings. He bets on other people's labor to build a fortune while Sarah watches with increasing worry. The arrangement binds his wealth to the oscillating success of multiple claims around Leadville.

Just as the Martins are ready to return to Kansas, prospectors Rische and Hook arrive with news of a silver strike. Yates secures a third share of the discovery, instantly transforming his prospects from precarious to potentially enormous. The windfall anchors his ambition and reshapes his future.

Yates spends part of his newfound wealth to buy a claim from a downtrodden miner for $50,000, ignoring Sarah's objections. The deal is controversial, and the buyer knows the risk as he plans to use the ore for political leverage as well. The purchase foreshadows the risky path that blends business prowess with political ambition.

Shortly after the purchase, Yates's foreman informs him that the claim may be worthless. He orders the crew to keep digging anyway, at least until the election, so he won't look foolish if the ore delivers. The insistence on digging reveals how his political dreams drive his business decisions.

Against all odds, a lode richer than the first strike emerges from the digging. The sudden fortune anchors Yates's political momentum: he wins the Lieutenant Governor election and steps into public power. The mining success and public office reinforce each other, accelerating his ascent.

Flush with wealth, Yates funds and plans an opulent opera house in Denver. The project becomes a symbol of his ambition to shape the city’s culture as well as its economy. Construction draws attention from all corners of society.

During the opera house project, Yates meets Lily Owens and begins an affair that soon becomes his mistress. The relationship marks a break with his wife Sarah and complicates his public image. The affair signals a new chapter in his personal life as the empire grows.

At the grand opening, General Ulysses S. Grant attends as guest of honor, elevating Yates’s profile to national attention. The gala cements his status among the elite and fuels his appetite for greater power. The event blends politics, money, and fame in one luminous evening.

Emboldened by his wealth and ambitions, Yates seeks a U.S. Senate seat. He divorces Sarah and marries Lily in Washington, DC, with the President among the wedding guests. The ceremony marks his ascent into national politics and the entanglement of his personal life with power.

When the President shifts the country to the gold standard, the price of silver plummets and Yates loses almost everything. He keeps only the Matchless mine, which is not profitable at the new price. He refuses Sarah’s offer of money, choosing pride over reconciliation.

A friend secures the post of postmaster for him in Denver, but Yates collapses and dies penniless. His rise and fall run in stark contrast, and the man who once commanded wealth ends his days in quiet poverty. The legacy of his ambition remains a cautionary tale.