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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The available sources do not establish which 14 people belong on a definitive list of “the most eccentric millionaires and billionaires.” Rather than combine two older, different lists and present their claims as verified, this article examines one well-documented historical example: Asa “Buddy” Candler Jr. His story shows how wealth could fund unusual ambitions—and why colorful anecdotes still need evidence.
Why there is no verified list of 14 here
The title’s exact roster is not identified by the available sources. Two older list articles, published in 2013 and 2015, each name ten people; neither establishes a definitive set of 14 or provides a sound basis for a current ranking. Their net-worth figures and anecdotes should not be treated as current, verified facts. 2013 list article 2015 list article
“Eccentric” is a subjective label, not a financial category. A responsible profile should make clear which documented action prompted the description, when and where it happened, and what followed. It should also distinguish evidence from rumor and avoid treating unusual behavior as a diagnosis.
Asa “Buddy” Candler Jr.: wealth put to unusual use
A June 18, 2024 Georgia Public Broadcasting interview with Sara Butler, author of Fortune and Folly, describes Candler as the son of Coca-Cola founder Asa Candler. The conversation portrays a life shaped by inherited wealth, business ventures, and conspicuous ambition. Butler and the hosts discuss his interests in automobiles and airplanes, a speedway project, and a short-lived floating school for boys. Georgia Public Broadcasting interview
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A speedway near Hapeville
According to the interview, Candler and associates bought land near Hapeville in 1909 for a racetrack. GPB says the land was later sold to the City of Atlanta for use as an airport. The account connects Candler’s ventures and legacy with several Atlanta institutions, but it is best understood as the interview’s account, not as an independent examination of archival records.
The car named Briarcliff
The interview says Candler owned a 1910 45-horsepower Model H Lozier named Briarcliff. The detail gives a concrete example of his interest in automobiles without relying on a broad claim about his personality.
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A floating school for boys
GPB’s interview recounts that Candler’s school venture involved buying a transport ship and did not last long. The hosts cite a purchase price of $250,000 in 1924 for the ship; that amount is a figure reported in the 2024 interview, not a newly verified financial record. The venture illustrates that wealth could support an ambitious project without guaranteeing its success.
What the stories do—and do not—show
Butler cautions against treating local lore as fact. In the interview, she rejects stories that Candler’s ghost haunted his mansion and that he buried elephants around Druid Hills. Those claims should not be repeated as true. Her distinction between documented events and colorful rumor is essential to writing about anyone labeled eccentric.
Butler also offers an interpretation of the appeal of these stories: “I think eccentric millionaires tap into a part of us that yearn to be able to take big risks without consequences.” That is her view, not a measured finding. Candler’s story is more than spectacle: the interview describes ventures that failed as well as a legacy linked to Atlanta’s development and institutions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to judge claims about eccentric wealthy people
- Look for a specific, sourced action. An unusual project is more informative than an unsupported personality label.
- Keep the context attached. Dates, locations, outcomes, and whether wealth was inherited or self-made matter when the evidence establishes them.
- Separate documentation from lore. Repetition does not turn a ghost story or other anecdote into a verified event.
- Treat old wealth estimates cautiously. A figure without a clear date and methodology is not a current ranking.
These standards matter especially for a list of 14. Each entry needs reliable evidence for the person’s identity and wealth context, a specific example, its date and location, and its outcome. The sources available here support a careful Candler profile, but not a complete, defensible 14-person roster.
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