5 6 .) ▁In ▁this ▁instant ▁city , ▁Laz ard ▁Fr ères ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁biggest ▁ret ail ers ▁and ▁wh oles al ers ▁of ▁English ▁and ▁French ▁made ▁goods , ▁while ▁Simon ▁handled ▁money ▁trad ing ▁and ▁bank ing , ▁a ▁growing ▁but ▁inform al ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁business . ▁ ▁Gold ▁Exchange ▁and ▁Exp and ing ▁Business ▁ ▁From ▁the ▁first ▁they ▁de alt ▁in ▁gold ▁dust , ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁goods ▁to ▁min ers , ▁then ▁as ▁separate ▁purchase ▁of ▁pre cious ▁metal ▁b ull ion ▁( or , ▁in ▁reality , ▁a ▁cru de ▁d ore ▁bar ), ▁which ▁they ▁sh ipped ▁back ▁to ▁France ▁for ▁ass ay ▁and ▁sales . ▁Begin ning ▁with ▁a ▁ship ment ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁of ▁$ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁n ug gets ▁and ▁dust , ▁by ▁ 1 8 5 3 ▁they ▁had ▁sh ipped ▁over ▁a ▁quarter - mill ion ▁dollars ▁worth ▁of ▁pre cious ▁met als . ▁Simon ’ s ▁initial ▁trade - d ust ▁and ▁b ull ion ▁business ▁expanded ▁to ▁include ▁currency ▁ex changes ▁and ▁bank notes . ▁▁▁ ▁Prof its ▁from ▁these ▁activities ▁were ▁fun ne led ▁into ▁real ▁estate ▁invest ments , ▁offer ings ▁of ▁lo ans ▁and ▁mort g ages , ▁and ▁other ▁business es , ▁part ▁of ▁what ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁bank ▁in ▁all ▁but ▁name . ▁About ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁looking ▁for ▁new ▁business ▁opportun ities , ▁Simon ▁purchased ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the