1911 Life Magazine “Wall Street Number” (Nov. 9, 1911)

Step back into early Wall Street history with this collectible November 9, 1911 issue of Life magazine (Vol. LVIII, No. 1515)—a special themed edition known as the “Wall Street Number.” This issue isn’t stock analysis; it’s biting financial satire packed with cartoons, humor, and social commentary about the culture of speculation.

Why This “Wall Street Number” Is So Collectible

From its cover to its center spreads, this issue uses financial concepts as comedic weapons—critiquing Gilded Age capitalism, the wealthy elite, and the dangers of risky speculation. Because it comes from Life’s 1883–1936 weekly humor and satire era (pre-photo-magazine relaunch), the “financial” content is entirely parody and illustration-based, making it especially sought-after today.

Issue Highlights (The Good Stuff!)

Cover Art by Wildhack

• Cover theme: “When Greek meets Greek” — a working man examining stock ticker tape
• Artist: Wildhack
• Signature detail: includes his pawprint mark

Financial Satire All Through the Pages

• Wall Street humor focused on stockbrokers, investing culture, and market obsession
• Major recurring trope: “Fleeced Lamb” (slang for naive retail investors)
• Broker and investment parodies—fast-talking satire and speculative fever mocked

Famous Interior Center Spreads

• “The First Bear Raid” — double-page center spread
• “To the Slaughter” — matching half of the major spread

Together, these cartoons depict the “bear raid” concept and the lamb-to-market “slaughter” metaphor—vivid, dramatic, and very much of their time.

Notable Ads & Period Details

• Full-page ad for Sanitol Tooth Paste featuring fade-out style art
• Full-page ad for the Locomobile 1912 four-passenger Torpedo

Condition Note

• Condition: Cover is loose; otherwise good condition

Fun Fact: A Perfect “History + Humor” Collectible

This edition is a great pick for collectors who love vintage magazines, financial history, and early 20th-century satire. It’s also a surprisingly approachable way to introduce kids (and adults!) to how Wall Street culture has always had a comedic—and cautionary—side.

Add this rare 1911 Life “Wall Street Number” to your collection and enjoy a truly unique slice of Wall Street history told through cartoons, humor, and critique.