Who got in on the Obama IPO?

Before U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) became a national and international phenomenon, he was a state senator, struggling to win a crowded primary for the U.S. Senate. He didn't have nearly as many supporters then as he does today, though some Californians did manage to get in on the ground floor of what would turn out to be a very successful political investment.

Contributing a total of nearly $108,000 for then-state Senator Obama's primary campaign for the U.S. Senate, 65 Californians gave at least $250 before the March 16, 2004 primary. Lawrence Lessig, a professor at Stanford Law, was the first major donor on board, giving $1,000 to Obama on June 18, 2003.

Other notable contributors include billionaire heiress Janet Peterson and William Crown, President and CEO of CC Industries, who each gave $12,000 to the campaign.

Four people gave $5,000 to Obama's primary campaign: Sharon Griner, Jay Wilton, owner of the construction company Wilton Partners, Casey Wasserman, owner of the Los Angeles Avengers football team, and his mother Lynne Wasserman.