Poe originally sold "The Gold-Bug" to George Rex Graham for "Graham's Magazine" for $52 but asked for it back when he heard about a writing contest sponsored by Philadelphia's "Dollar Newspaper". Incidentally, Poe did not return the money to Graham and instead offered to make it up to him with reviews he would write. Poe won the grand prize; in addition to winning $100, the story was published in two installments on June 21 and June 28, 1843, in the newspaper. His $100 payment from the newspaper may have been the most he was paid for a single work. Anticipating a positive public response, the "Dollar Newspaper" took out a copyright on "The Gold-Bug" prior to publication.