You might be wondering: what is an NFT? Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are blockchain-minted digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items, music and videos, that exist on a blockchain and cannot be replicated. The NFT market exploded in 2021, and some of the prices being paid for them is insane, today we take a look at some of the most expensive NFTs sold to date.
10. Crossroad by Beeple — Price: $6,600,000.00 (2,127.982 ETH)
https://twitter.com/niftygateway/status/1364745727889530883
Crossroad is a 10-second loop created by Mike Winkelmann, better known for his artistic pseudonym Beeple, featuring the former US President Donald Trump laying on a field while bystanders ignore him. It was sold on Feb. 25, 2021 through Nifty Gateway for $6.6 million.
9. Pipe-Smoking Alien CryptoPunk #7804 — Price: $7,566,173.88 (4,200 ETH)
Punk 7804 bought for 4,200 ETH ($7,566,173.88 USD) by 0xf4b4a5 from 0x03911f. https://t.co/0aatHjfooI #cryptopunks #ethereum pic.twitter.com/TrMgPUK0Hn
— CryptoPunks Bot (@cryptopunksbot) March 11, 2021
CryptoPunks are 24×24 pixel art images generated algorithmically and released by New York-based software firm Larva Labs in 2017. CryptoPunk #7804 is one of just nine ‘Alien’ CryptoPunks, wearing a hat, sunglasses and puffing on a pipe. It was sold on Mar. 11, 2021 for 4,200 ETH, or about $7.5
8. CryptoPunk #3100 — Price: $7,584,485.82 (4,200 ETH)
Punk 3100 bought for 4,200 ETH ($7,584,485.82 USD) by 0x7b8961 from 0x6611fe. https://t.co/3HawbYyhNZ #cryptopunks #ethereum pic.twitter.com/LAOCywVUxZ
— CryptoPunks Bot (@cryptopunksbot) March 11, 2021
Yet another CryptoPunk on the list, but certainly not the last. On March 11, 2021, the seventh most rare Alien CryptoPunk sporting just a headband was sold for 4,200 ETH ($7,584,485.82 USD)
7. CryptoPunk #4156 — Price: $10,261,925.05 USD (2,500 ETH)
Punk 4156 bought for 2,500 ETH ($10,261,925.05 USD) by 0x4c1194 from 0xf476cd. https://t.co/kot9CYmE1h #cryptopunks #ethereum pic.twitter.com/HRqkH6hxtJ
— CryptoPunks Bot (@cryptopunksbot) December 9, 2021
CryptoPunk #4156 has a bandana as an attribute. It was sold on December 9, 2021, for 2,500 ETH ($10,261,925.05 USD) CryptoPunks have earned huge influence in 2021, with several celebs proudly displaying their punk ownership on Twitter.
6. CryptoPunk #7523 — Price: $11,754,00 0USD
Moments ago in our #London saleroom, an extremely rare “Alien” CryptoPunk #7523 from the collection of @sillytuna sold for $11.8M as part of our #NativelyDigital NFT auction – setting a new world auction record for a single CryptoPunk. pic.twitter.com/PDVUSttI3o
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) June 10, 2021
CryptoPunk #7523 aka “Covid Alien,” is one of nine alien punks in the entire series and is the only one with a mask. It was sold Jun 10, 2021 at Sotheby’s for over $11.7 million. The question now becomes how much more can they really be sold for?
5. CryptoPunk #5822 — Price: $23,702,160.16 USD (8,000 ETH)
Punk 5822 bought for 8,000 ETH ($23,702,160.16 USD) by 0x69c488 from 0x7eb28b. https://t.co/n9OIDRY3WB #cryptopunks #ethereum pic.twitter.com/tFSy3bRX6n
— CryptoPunks Bot (@cryptopunksbot) February 12, 2022
Continuing in the trend of super-expensive CryptoPunk #5822 was purchased by Deepak Thapliyal, the CEO of Chain, on February 12, 2022 for a record-breaking 8,000 ETH (approximately $$23,702,160.16 USD).
4. Human One by Beeple — Price: $28,985,000.00 (9,352.293 ETH)
The Human One is a dynamic, life-generative sculpture created by Beeple. Mike Winkelmann describes his NFT as “the first portrait of a human born in the metaverse.” The seven-foot-tall sculpture consisting of an astronaut strolling through a dystopian landscape was sold to crypto billionaire Ryan Zurrer for $28,985,000.00 (9,352.293 ETH) at a Christie’s auction on December 9, 2021.
3. Clock by Pak and Julian Assange — Price: $$52.7M (16,593 ETH)
And @AssangeDAO acquires Clock for 16593 ETH.
100% will go to Wau Holland Foundation that supports Julian Assange's defence. pic.twitter.com/SBqGZQ3qiR
— Pak (@muratpak) February 9, 2022
“Clock,” is a joint creation by Assange and digital artist Pak that depicts a timer, which counts the number of days Assange has spent in prison. The goal of the NFT was to raise funds for the legal defense of Julian Assange, who currently faces 18 criminal charges in the U.S. AssangeDAO picked this piece on Feb 9, 2022 for 16,593 ETH ($52.7 million).
2. Everydays: the First 5000 Days — Price: $69,346,250.00 (22,303.065 ETH)
Created by renowned artist Beeple “Everydays: The First 5000 Days” sold for over $69 million at auction at Christie’s. This artwork is a digital collage with 5,000 futuristic images he made each day from May 1, 2007 through Jan. 7, 2021. Everydays was purchased by Singapore-based programmer Vignesh Sundaresan also known online by his pseudonym MetaKovan.
1. ‘The Merge’ by Pak — Price: $91,806,519
The Merge is a digital artwork created by an anonymous digital artist nicknamed Pak. NFT decentralized marketplace Nifty Gateway hosted the sale; in 48 hours, 28,983 collectors spent $91,806,519 to purchase 312,686 total units of a Pak artwork that could, in theory, be combined into a single NFT. The Merge officially became the most expensive NFT ever sold and has broken Jeff Koons’ record for the largest art sale by a living artist.
https://twitter.com/niftygateway/status/1467610044573310985
