Tulips first arrived in Europe in the 16th century from exotic spice routes 🌷

They quickly became a symbol of luxury.

The middle and working classes wanted the tulips too and tulips became wildly desired just because they were expensive!

Just like modern-day luxury fashion brands 👀

But tulips are extremely fragile and die if they’re not in perfect condition

This established a new business sector of tech-agriculture dedicated to sustaining and growing tulips 🌱

People even started growing variations of tulips, some were multi-colored! A single bulb could cost as much as 5,500 florins

That means the best of tulips cost $750,000 in today’s money with more "affordable" ones in the $50,000 to $150,000 range 😱

The insane value of tulips even led to tulip bulbs’ listing on the Stock Exchange of Amsterdam

People soon began trading tulips and buying more on loans once the old ones died

Once buyers could not afford the tulip price, the market crashed by the end of 1637

Many see the Dutch Tulip Mania as an example of consumer greed and speculation which is still relevant today 🙏