March 30 brings together two stories of value that changed dramatically with time. In 1853, Vincent van Gogh was born in Groot-Zundert, Netherlands. He sold only one painting during his lifetime, yet his work would eventually make him one of history’s most famous and influential artists. His story is a reminder that recognition does not always arrive when the work is made—or when its creator can see its lasting reach.
Fourteen years later, in 1867, the United States agreed to buy Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, roughly two cents per acre. Critics dismissed the purchase as “Seward’s Folly,” but the territory’s vast natural resources later made the deal look like a bargain. The two events share a theme of judgment revised by hindsight: what seems overlooked or unwise in one moment may appear profoundly different in another. Coming near the end of March, the date also sits at a seasonal threshold, when change is becoming visible. And this pairing offers a broader contrast: history can turn on both an individual’s creative legacy and a nation’s decision about land.