Long before the modern era, one defined by class division, wealth disparities, and crypto-disasters where the rare nuevo-riche could — and did — lose everything in a market crash that wiped out trillions of dollars in investor capital, there used to be another way to get rich quickly: Literally striking gold.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, gold rushes took the globe by storm, with countless miners rushing to hotspots like California, Alaska, and Idaho for a shot at making it big. 

From mine construction to sifters sifting, here are 20 platinum gold rush photos snapped before a market crash could wipe out your crypto winnings.