Herb Simon
Source of wealth: Real estate
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The scale of their wealth
Health
The price of life
Let's compare Herb Simon's fortune with the healthcare spending of a massive country
Herb Simon could fund the entire healthcare system of DR Congo, with a population of over 105,800,000 people, for approximately 3.0 years.
But even if we compare their fortune with that of a rich country
On the other end, Herb Simon could cover the healthcare spending of Luxembourg, considered the most heavily funded healthcare system in the world, for 1.3 years.
Education
Buying the future
Let's also compare their fortune with education spending, first with a poor country
Herb Simon could cover the total cost of Nigeria's education system, the most populous country in Africa with over 243,000,000 inhabitants, for 2.0 years.
And yes, we can also compare it with a rich country
But they couldn't just cover the cost of a poor country; Luxembourg is considered the country with the highest per capita investment in education in the world, and Herb Simon could pay for it entirely for 2.7 years.
Research
The monopoly on progress
Coming full circle, we think it's also interesting to add another gigantic country
Herb Simon could fully fund the state research budget of Pakistan, the fifth most populous country in the world with over 260,000,000 inhabitants, for 11.2 years.
And of course, the country that invests the most per capita worldwide
But even if we compare the total wealth of Herb Simon with Israel, the country that invests the most per capita in research in the world, they could cover the total cost of the system for 0.3 years.
Gold
Everyday luxuries
Herb Simon's fortune is equivalent to 46 tons of gold. It's hard to process, since we don't usually keep a handful of gold bars in our piggy banks.
A standard gold ring usually weighs between 4 and 7 grams. Let's say this one weighs 5 grams. It's usually 18 karats.
Based on today's gold price (excluding the jeweler's commission, shipping, or anything else), that ring would be worth $546.86.
Herb Simon could buy 12,158,528 gold rings. That's a lot of fingers and way too many gifts!!
And if you're struggling to visualize that many rings, it would take 2 trucks to transport them. Although Herb Simon will almost certainly have enough money left over to pay for the gas.
Biography
In 1960, Herb Simon and his brother Melvin (d. 2009) founded the precursor to Simon Property Group.
Simon Property Group is now one of the world's largest real estate investment trusts, with 229 properties globally, including 194 in the U.S.
Simon was chairman emeritus until he retired in February 2025. His nephew, David, who is Melvin's son, has been CEO since 1995.
Simon also owns an 80% stake in the Indiana Pacers, which he bought with his brother. The team is worth more than $3 billion.
Additionally, Simon owns the WNBA team Indiana Fever, which first played in the 2000 season. The team is worth $370 million.
Financial Assets
Monthly wealth history
Fortune comparison
Historical data not available for comparison