Which brothers were central figures in the Silver Thursday market collapse of March 27, 1980?

The Hunt brothers—Nelson Bunker Hunt and William Herbert Hunt—were central figures in the Silver Thursday market collapse of March 27, 1980.

The brothers and their associates accumulated large positions in silver futures and physical silver. Their buying helped drive the metal’s price dramatically higher during the late 1970s, with silver reaching nearly $50 per ounce in January 1980.

Exchange rule changes and tighter margin requirements then made it harder to finance additional purchases. As prices fell, the Hunts faced mounting margin calls. On March 27, 1980, fear that they could not meet their obligations contributed to a sharp collapse in silver prices and broader financial stress.

Silver Thursday was primarily a commodities-market crisis rather than a conventional stock-market crash. The Federal Reserve and major banks helped arrange credit to prevent the Hunts’ difficulties from spreading through the financial system.