James Marion West Jr.

James Marion West Jr. (September 26, 1903 – December 18, 1957) was a Texas oilman. He was the son of James Marion West Sr., the businessman who created the West family fortune, and brother of Wesley West. He was nicknamed "Silver Dollar Jim" because of his habit of throwing silver dollar coins toward passersby on the street. He was also called "Diamond Jim" because of the diamond-studded Texas Ranger badge he wore. He was known to chase criminals right behind the police. West kept a fleet of thirty cars, mostly Cadillacs, in or around downtown Houston, which were equipped with an arsenal of 30–35 guns. He became an iconic fixture at Galveston casinos such as the Balinese Room. He is considered to be an archetype for the eccentric Texas oilman. He gained his nickname “Silver Dollar Jim” due to his tendency to leave large $20 to $25 tips in silver dollars and because he gave them away to strangers on the street. He repeatedly tossed handfuls of silver dollars in restaurants and bars so he could watch the wait staff and others chase after the rolling coins. At parties, he would toss them into pools and laugh as people dove in after them. His estate was valued at over $100 million; a figure equivalent to $1.092 billion in December 2023 dollars.