Editing Flintheart Glomgold (section)

===Under Don Rosa===
In 1987 [[Keno Don Rosa]] created his first Scrooge McDuck story, "[[The Son of the Sun]]", first published in July 1987. Rosa's detailed style of drawing, references to Barks stories (by then considered classic) like "[[Lost in the Andes!]]", detailed references to often obscure historical figures and events and strong characterization would later make Rosa fans consider him one of Barks' most popular "successors". Those themes are all evident in his first story. It begins with Flintheart questioning Scrooge's many successes as a treasure-hunter. He claims that discovering riches that are already concentrated by others is not that hard and that he could do it better than Scrooge if he decided to try. Soon, he is following Scrooge and his nephews in their latest treasure hunt, locating a hidden temple of [[Manco Cápac]], who was the legendary founder of the [[Inca]] dynasty. The temple is hidden somewhere in the tops of the Andes and, according to inscriptions earlier found by Scrooge, supposed to contain a great treasure. In the course of the story Flintheart is shown to be one of Scrooge's most charismatic, resourceful, and ruthless rivals.

Rosa, who admits to have a soft spot for the character, has used Flintheart in a growing number of stories and has offered him a sort of origin. In his stories, Flintheart is a [[Boer]] from the province of [[Transvaal Province|Transvaal]]. He was born around the same time as Scrooge and first met him during the [[Witwatersrand Gold Rush]] in 1886, a key event leading to the founding of [[Johannesburg]]. Like Scrooge, Flintheart was born in poverty and was working his way up the financial ladder. While unsuccessfully searching for diamonds, he attempted to steal the findings of more successful fellow miners. As a result, he was tied to the horns of a water buffalo and the animal was then sent running. Flintheart was found and saved by Scrooge. Flintheart offered to be the guide of the recently arrived gold miner from [[Scotland]], since he knew the territory. Scrooge accepted him as a needed companion and friend. But at night while Scrooge was sleeping, Flintheart stole his ox-cart along with all his equipment and supplies and left him alone in the wilderness. Having underestimated Scrooge, he was surprised when Scrooge caught up to him, furious and vengeful. When Scrooge finished with him, Flintheart was publicly humiliated, thoroughly embittered, and imprisoned for theft. The two rivals made vows to themselves that helped shape some of their character traits. Scrooge vowed to never trust anybody ever again, in order not to be betrayed again. Apparently this is the source of Scrooge's distrust towards others whether they are allies, rivals, or complete strangers and the reason he is secretive about his thoughts and emotions. On the other hand, a completely defeated Flintheart vowed that he will work to become so rich that nobody can humiliate him again (see [[Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck]] – Part VI: [[The Terror of the Transvaal]]). Because Scrooge officially meets Glomgold for the first time during "The Second Richest Duck" in 1956, Don Rosa makes sure Glomgold's name is never mentioned until after he and Scrooge have parted ways. Since Glomgold gets Scrooge's name, some fans could think he is more interested in defeating and humiliating Scrooge as revenge for getting imprisoned rather than becoming the world's richest duck. According to Rosa's unofficial timelines, it would take him twenty years of hard work as a diamond miner till finally he became rich in 1906 by his profits. He would spend the next fifty years working his way up the financial ladder both by hard efforts and dishonest methods when needed.

Don Rosa also revealed in at least two stories another thing that makes Flintheart a [[wikt:counterpart|counterpart]] to Scrooge: the '''Number One Rand''', the first coin Flintheart Glomgold ever earned (or stole). In ''[[Return to Plain Awful]]'', this [[South African Rand|rand]] makes his first appearance, a cameo, and has nothing to do with the story, alongside a framed [[Banknotes of the pound sterling|pound note]] labelled as Glomgold's "No. 1 Pound" and a diamond under a glass dome labelled as "My First Diamond". In ''[[A Little Something Special]]'', the Rand makes an equally small but more relevant role. [[Magica De Spell]] teamed up with him and the [[The Beagle Boys|Beagle Boys]] to get the [[Number One Dime]]. Scrooge reminds Magica he will no longer be the richest duck in the world after they steal his fortune, and the Dime will be worthless to her. Based on the advice Scrooge gives her in exchange for his dime back, Magica steals Flintheart's first rand. To make things worse for Glomgold, Magica takes the [[Beagle Boys]] with her to the Valley of [[Limpopo]], where they carry all they can of Flintheart's cash. Despite the fact he teamed up with them in that story against Scrooge, he still dares to ask what did he do to deserve that.

Notable is the fact that Flintheart Glomgold's first coin could not be a rand, because the [[South African Rand]] did not come into existence until 1961. Before a [[Union of South Africa|unified South Africa]] in 1910 (whereupon the [[South African pound]] was introduced), many authorities in the region issued coins and banknotes in their own currencies, often equivalent to the Pound Sterling of the [[Cape of Good Hope]] colony that had existed since 1825. Adding it to the fact that Don Rosa's stories usually take place in the 1950s, this meant it would be impossible for anyone to own a rand in such stories.