Top Cash Hauls 2007: Seattle

Published in Vanity Fair, 2007′s 50 biggest cash hauls include at least three Seattlites:

1. BILL GATES: $2.8 billion
The world’s 3rd richest man downloaded $2.5 billion worth of Microsoft stock last year. Throw in a few hundred million dollars in dividend income and his impending retirement will be all the more comfortable.

15. PAUL ALLEN: $775 million

Once the third-richest man on the planet, Allen, of late, has seen his fortune in retrograde. Selling big stakes in DreamWorks and Oxygen Media should help turn things around.

30. NICOLAS HANAUER: $282 million
The founder of tech outfit aQuantive, parent company of online-ad agency Avenue A/Razorfish, took Microsoft up on its offer—for $6 billion, the software giant’s biggest acquisition ever.

As some of you know, Paul Allen hasn’t had the best record with regard to investment. He’s lost money betting on obscure tech companies during the tech bubble, failed in his initial push to create a “Seattle Commons” development, and sold much of his Microsoft stock that later appreciated much in value. Allen owned 28 percent of Microsoft stock in 1985. This would be worth $73 billion today, making him the worlds richest man by far. Instead, he’s worth one-quarter as much.

Bill Gates owned 49 percent of Microsoft in 1985, which today would be worth $127 billion. Instead, he’s worth less than half, at around $58 billion.

Obviously, none of these metrics account for the extreme amount of philanthropy undertaken by both men, which should not be overlooked.

America’s 50 Richest Paydays: Who, What, and How Much – Vanity Fair