A small invention sold onSourced
He sold the safety-pin patent for four hundred dollars
Walter Hunt developed his safety pin in 1849, using a protective clasp and a coiled wire that kept the point secured. He sold the patent for four hundred dollars. An invention’s later widespread use did not necessarily mean its inventor retained the resulting business.
A familiar little fastener began with a transferred patent.
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Walter Hunt (inventor) · Wikimedia contributors
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Reviewed: 2026-10-05