Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have taken the digital art world by storm in recent years, offering a new way for creators to sell their digital creations as unique, one-of-a-kind assets.
With the rise of blockchain technology, NFTs have enabled artists to monetize digital work by creating scarcity and uniqueness through cryptographic verification.
The market for NFTs has exploded in popularity, with some pieces selling for astronomical prices that have never been seen before in the art world.
In this article, we will take a look at some of the most expensive NFTs ever sold, explore the reasons behind their high prices, and examine the impact of this new market on the art world.
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List Of Most Expensive NFTs Ever Sold
Table Of Contents
Here’s a list of the top 10 most expensive NFTs ever sold, including their names, makers, buyers, and final prices:
- “Everydays: The First 5000 Days” by Beeple – Maker: Beeple – Buyer: MetaKovan – Final price: $69.3 million
- “CryptoPunk # 3100” – Maker: Larva Labs – Buyer: Sina Estavi – Final price: $7.6 million
- “Crossroads” by Beeple – Maker: Beeple – Buyer: Pablo Rodriguez-Fraile – Final price: $6.6 million
- “CryptoPunk # 7804” – Maker: Larva Labs – Buyer: Sillytuna – Final price: $6 million
- “CryptoPunk # 6965” – Maker: Larva Labs – Buyer: Pak – Final price: $5.4 million
- “CryptoPunk # 4156” – Maker: Larva Labs – Buyer: FlamingoDAO – Final price: $4.4 million
- “CryptoPunk # 8888” – Maker: Larva Labs – Buyer: Unknown – Final price: $4.3 million
- “The First 5000 Days” by Beeple – Maker: Beeple – Buyer: Vignesh Sundaresan – Final price: $69,346,250
- “MAD Dog Jones Collection” – Maker: MAD Dog Jones – Buyer: WhaleShark – Final price: $3.9 million
- “Right Place & Right Time” by Tyler Hobbs – Maker: Tyler Hobbs – Buyer: Justin Sun – Final price: $2.8 million
“Everydays: The First 5000 Days”
“Everydays: The First 5000 Days” is a digital artwork created by the artist Mike Winkelmann, popularly known as Beeple.
It is a collage of 5,000 individual digital artworks, which Beeple had created and posted online every day for 5,000 days straight.
The piece was put up for auction by Christie’s in March 2021 as a non-fungible token (NFT), and it became the most expensive NFT ever sold, with a final price of $69.3 million.
The buyer of the artwork was a digital investment firm called Metapurse, whose co-founder, Vignesh Sundaresan, stated that he believes the artwork will be remembered as a landmark in art history.
The sale of “Everydays” marked a significant moment in the world of NFTs, showcasing the growing interest and demand for digital art among collectors and investors.
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CryptoPunk # 3100″
“CryptoPunk # 3100” is a digital artwork created by the studio Larva Labs as part of the CryptoPunks collection, which consists of 10,000 unique 8-bit-style characters on the Ethereum blockchain.
Each CryptoPunk character has its own distinct features and rarity, with some being more valuable and sought-after than others.
“CryptoPunk # 3100” is one of the rarest and most valuable CryptoPunks, featuring a unique combination of features, including a beanie hat, 3D glasses, and a cigarette hanging from its mouth.
The artwork was sold as an NFT in a Sotheby’s auction in June 2021 to the buyer Sina Estavi, who paid a final price of $7.6 million for the artwork.
The sale of “CryptoPunk # 3100” set a new record for the most expensive CryptoPunk ever sold, highlighting the growing interest and demand for unique and rare digital assets.
“Crossroads”
“Crossroads” is a digital artwork created by the artist Mike Winkelmann, also known as Beeple, and is part of his “The First 5000 Days” series.
The artwork was sold as an NFT in a Christie’s auction in February 2021 to the buyer Pablo Rodriguez-Fraile for a final price of $6.6 million.
“Crossroads” features a depiction of former President Donald Trump lying on the ground, surrounded by graffiti and protest signs.
The artwork was created shortly after the storming of the U.S. Capitol in January 2021, and it reflects the artist’s views on the event and the political climate at the time.
The sale of “Crossroads” marked a significant moment in the world of NFTs, showcasing the power of digital art to capture and comment on current events and issues uniquely and powerfully.
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“CryptoPunk # 7804”
“CryptoPunk # 7804” is another digital artwork created by the studio Larva Labs as part of the CryptoPunks collection.
The artwork features a rare combination of features, including a hot pink beanie hat, sunglasses, and a small smile.
It was sold as an NFT in a Christie’s auction in May 2021 to the buyer Sillytuna for a final price of $6 million.
The sale of “CryptoPunk # 7804” set a new record for the most expensive CryptoPunk ever sold at the time, further demonstrating the growing demand and value for rare and unique digital assets.
The CryptoPunks collection has become a popular investment among collectors and investors, with some even viewing the characters as a new form of digital currency.
“CryptoPunk # 6965”
“CryptoPunk # 6965” is another artwork created by Larva Labs as part of the CryptoPunks collection.
The artwork features a rare combination of features, including a red beanie hat, a gold chain, and a slight smile.
It was sold as an NFT in a Sotheby’s auction in June 2021 to the buyer Pak for a final price of $5.4 million.
Pak is a well-known anonymous digital artist and collector who has been active in the NFT space for several years.
The sale of “CryptoPunk # 6965” further highlights the growing interest and value for rare and unique digital assets, particularly among collectors and investors.
The CryptoPunks collection has become a symbol of the NFT market’s potential and the new opportunities it provides for artists and creators to monetize their digital creations.
“CryptoPunk # 4156”
“CryptoPunk # 4156” is another digital artwork created by Larva Labs as part of the CryptoPunks collection.
The artwork features a rare combination of features, including a headband, a small smile, and a three-dimensional pair of glasses.
It was sold as an NFT in a Sotheby’s auction in May 2021 to the buyer Shalom Meckenzie for a final price of $5.3 million.
Meckenzie is a well-known tech entrepreneur and investor who co-founded the company Mobileye, which was later acquired by Intel.
The sale of “CryptoPunk # 4156” marked a new record for the most expensive CryptoPunk ever sold at the time and demonstrated the growing demand and value for rare and unique digital assets.
The CryptoPunks collection has become a symbol of the potential for digital art and collectibles in the NFT market.
The high prices paid for these artworks have drawn increased attention from investors and collectors alike.
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“CryptoPunk # 8888”
“CryptoPunk # 8888” is another digital artwork created by Larva Labs as part of the CryptoPunks collection.
The artwork features a rare combination of features, including a mohawk, a green beanie hat, and a pair of 3D glasses.
It was sold as an NFT in a Christie’s auction in March 2021 to the buyer “0x60” for a final price of $7.57 million, making it one of the most expensive CryptoPunks ever sold.
“0x60” is a well-known pseudonymous collector and investor in the NFT space who has made several high-profile purchases of digital art and collectibles.
The sale of “CryptoPunk # 8888” further highlights the growing interest and value for rare and unique digital assets.
Particularly among collectors and investors who see the potential for these artworks to appreciate in value over time.
The CryptoPunks collection has become a cultural phenomenon and a symbol of the potential for digital art and collectibles in the NFT market.
“The First 5000 Days”
“The First 5000 Days” is a digital artwork created by the artist Mike Winkelmann, also known as Beeple. The artwork is a collage of images that the artist created every day for 13 and a half years, culminating in a total of 5,000 images.
It was sold as an NFT in a Christie’s auction in March 2021 to the buyer Metakovan for a final price of $69.3 million, making it one of the most expensive artworks ever sold by a living artist.
Metakovan is a well-known collector and investor in the NFT space who has made several high-profile purchases of digital art and collectibles.
The sale of “The First 5000 Days” marked a historic moment in the world of NFTs, showcasing the power and potential of digital art to reach new heights of value and recognition.
The artwork’s sale brought attention to the growing interest and value for NFTs among collectors and investors, and it sparked a new wave of interest in the market for digital art and collectibles.
“MAD Dog Jones Collection”
The “MAD Dog Jones Collection” is a collection of digital artworks created by the artist Michael J. Lavigne, who is better known by his pseudonym MAD Dog Jones.
The collection includes 33 unique NFTs, each featuring a different surreal and futuristic landscape or character.
It was sold as a single lot in a Christie’s auction in May 2021 to the buyer Twobadour for a final price of $4.1 million.
Twobadour is a well-known anonymous collector and investor in the NFT space who has made several high-profile purchases of digital art and collectibles.
The sale of the “MAD Dog Jones Collection” marked a significant moment in the world of NFTs, demonstrating the growing interest and value for digital art and collectibles among collectors and investors.
The sale also showcased the potential for artists to monetize their digital creations in new and innovative ways, using blockchain technology to create unique and scarce digital assets.
The “MAD Dog Jones Collection” is a symbol of the exciting possibilities for digital art and collectibles in the NFT market.
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“Right Place & Right Time”
“Right Place & Right Time” is a digital artwork created by the artist Trevor Jones and the musician Alotta Money.
The artwork is a hybrid of a traditional oil painting and a digital animation, featuring a portrait of the musician that is augmented with digital elements, such as moving butterflies and a video game controller.
It was sold as an NFT in a Christie’s auction in February 2021 to the buyer Pablo Rodriguez-Fraile for a final price of $101,593.
The sale of “Right Place & Right Time” marked a significant moment in the world of NFTs, as it was one of the earliest examples of a collaboration between a traditional artist and a musician to create a unique digital artwork.
The sale demonstrated the potential for artists and musicians to collaborate in new and innovative ways, using blockchain technology to create and monetize their digital creations.
The success of “Right Place & Right Time” also highlighted the growing interest and value for digital art and collectibles in the NFT market, particularly among collectors and investors who see the potential for these artworks to appreciate over time.
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Most Expensive NFTs Related Sales
Zen Magnets
Magnetic balls, 3D printed in nylon. Zen Magnets have sold over 23 million sets to date! Price range: $15-$200+ per set.
They’ve also been banned from being shipped to 13 states, which means you’d be forced to pick up your set in person if you live in any of those locations (or smuggle them across state lines).
This makes them a popular collector’s item; last time we checked they were selling for $200 on eBay.
Zen Magnets were so popular and caused so much trouble in school that they led to some states banning them from being shipped into their state.
This means you can only get them if you live close enough to pick them up in person.
They’ve even been banned by schools across China, which is a huge market for any toy or collectible.
Because of these bans and growing restrictions on these toys, they’re selling for quite a bit more than their original cost.
A set of magnets retailed at around $15, but we’ve seen sets sell on eBay for upwards of $200!
Ink On The Block: This digital art was featured in an auction held by Christie’s back in 2013. One buyer shelled out $451,900 for it.
CryptoKitties
CryptoKitties was a digital collectibles game that allowed players to purchase and breed virtual cats using Ethereum smart contracts.
While there are many similar games, CryptoKitties managed to break sales records for several reasons:
It did not implement blockchain fees for transactions, it had a very cute (and viral) design, and its team made clever use of marketing tactics on social media.
As of May 2018, one sale netted an individual $114,000 in ETH (but many will be worthless over time).
Of all NFTs in existence today, CryptoKitties is perhaps the best known. It was originally conceived as a way to improve blockchain scalability problems by taking advantage of users’ idle computer processing power.
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Decentraland
This virtual reality project raised $24,576,314 in an ICO on January 15th, 2017. Decentraland is a virtual reality platform powered by Ethereum and its utility token MANA.
Decentraland owners can use their tokens to claim the land as part of a shared virtual world that can be explored, developed, and traded.
Early buyers who participated in the crowd sale quickly turned their investments into profits—
As of December 2017, some have seen more than 500x returns on their investment when they exchanged 1 ETH for 5000 MANA (approximate exchange rate). Currently, each MANA is worth around $0.15 USD.
In addition to selling MANA to raise capital, Decentraland is exploring other innovative ways to monetize and increase the value for its token holders.
For example, users can buy land in bulk from developers who have decided to release it at a set price instead of auctioning it off piece by piece.
Projects like these could help stabilize prices and allow early buyers who might not be able to afford large plots of land full ownership in a virtual reality world with more flexibility than they would otherwise have if they had purchased one small square of land at an auction house.
This model also benefits developers who can find interested buyers without having to wait for bidders, who may or may not take them up on their offer.
Rare Pepe Cards
$10 million ($50k per CryptoKitty) was raised by Codex Protocol and BlockPainter. The Codex Protocol is a decentralized title registry for unique assets.
It will enable trustless exchanges of digital assets including artwork, fine wine, collectibles, currency, and much more on its open-source public blockchain platform.
Blockpainter is used to create crypto-collectibles from 3D models or images.
The acquisition of Rare Pepes was made to power CryptoKitties and create a new, unique crypto-asset category.
We’ve been quiet since our last round but we have been very busy growing our team and adding new features to CryptoKitties.
We’re excited to announce that with Tony and Christine on board, we now have an executive team that can execute those plans.’
CryptoKitties raised $12 million in Series A funding led by Andreessen Horowitz in December 2017 and is estimated to be valued at $1 billion.
CryptoPunks
In 2017, users bought a CryptoPunk for $62.5K, but before that, it was owned by only one user. Its attributes have been modified to represent its value in Ethereum’s cryptocurrency:
A1 has rainbow hair, 7 is named Britney Spears, and D7 has curly hair and a mustache.
This card was also used to make gas for Ethereum’s crypto kitties’ viral popularity (The Official CryptoKitties White Paper).
Being a CryptoPunk has become something of a status symbol. CryptoPunks are so famous that in 2017, developers used their images to make CryptoKitties viral.
To become a crypto punk you must first buy one using Ethereum’s cryptocurrency.
They can be bought by anyone but cannot be owned because they have no single owner (The Official CryptoKitties White Paper).
Gods Unchained: This is a physical card game available on iOS and Android which was auctioned off at $48,000.
At first glance, it looks like any other trading card game, with monsters and spells to summon them into battle.
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Codex Protocol/BlockPainter (Series A)
$17,500,000 USD – Market Cap: $35,383,254 USD (as of May 12, 2018) #4 – CryptoKitties (Series A): $12,000,000 USD – Market Cap: $56,939,967 USD (as of May 12, 2018) #3 – Decentraland (Series A): $26,460,00 USD – Market Cap: $147.995.769 USD (as of May 12, 2018) #2 – Rare Pepe Wallet ($1Million):
This collection was put up for auction by anonymous crypto trader Eric Nakagawa in January 2018.
The auction was held via an Ethereum smart contract and closed on January 30th with a final sale price of over 1 million dollars.
Codex Protocol is a decentralized title registry for art and collectibles. It was founded by Marshall Street Laptops, which led their Series A in March 2018 for USD 17.5 million.
The Codex Protocol (CODX) is an ERC20 token that works with Biddable, a product that allows users to bid on auctions using cryptocurrency, with transparency as to who else is bidding and at what price point they’re bidding.
Codex Protocol/Ujo Music (Series A)
$4.7 million. A digital music rights management platform. September 2018, sale to Ujo Music (Series A).
Codex Protocol will be creating a title registry and a decentralized reputation system for ERC721x, ERC1155, and ERC20 items in partnership with Ujo Music, ConsenSys’ blockchain development studio dedicated to building applications for Ethereum artists.
Swytch (Pre-Sale)
Swytch is a blockchain-based platform that helps offset carbon emissions by rewarding renewable energy.
The company has created its energy marketplace, where people can trade Swytch tokens to generate credits for clean energy use.
Currently, there is a pre-sale underway with an ICO scheduled for November 2018.
Early contributors will be rewarded with large amounts of SWITCH tokens and various levels of access to priority pools of solar panels, warehouses, etc.
How much did it sell for: $1.4M USD How does it work: With each Swytch Token you purchase from our crowd sale, you are buying access to renewable energy goods such as solar panels and wind turbines.
You are also supporting companies that develop those products through a network of independent developers and manufacturers.
Each token gives you partial ownership of these assets, allowing you to share in any revenue they produce.
For example, if your 1% stake in a particular solar panel generates one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity, then your account would receive 1 MWh worth of Swytch Tokens.
You can also earn additional tokens by selling excess power back into local grids or participating in other community activities like charging stations or electric vehicle (EV) parking spaces.
Property Tokens (Series A)
This is a virtual real estate investment fund, where token holders receive a share of all property profits, including rent and asset appreciation.
The property assets were valued at over $200 million in 2018, making it one of the highest-valued NFTs to date.
Coming in second place is Property Tokens (Series A), a blockchain-based property fund.
The total value of properties in their portfolio was estimated at over $200 million in 2018, and they secured investments from significant backers such as Coinbase Ventures.
Investors receive a cut of both rents and asset appreciation, which can be converted into crypto or fiat currency at any time.
For more information about NFTs, check out our guide on how to buy crypto collectibles.
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Bankex (Pre-Sale)
Collectibles, Anime, Comic Books: $566,120.00 Sold (4/20/2018) Collectibles include sports cards and memorabilia but also include artwork such as classic paintings or even drawings done by a celebrity.
Works from popular anime and comic book characters can have just as much value in their collectibles marketplaces.
A single card from a rare trading card set can sell for thousands of dollars while a well-done drawing of The Joker might be worth several hundred if framed nicely and signed by an artist with a following.
NFTs that fall into these categories may be attached to certain wallets permanently or temporarily through blockchain technology depending on how they were created;
Some could even change hands entirely independent of our planet and in return never be seen again!
CryptoKitties (Selling): Collectibles, Anime, Comic Books: $170,000.00 Sold (11/28/2017) The first blockchain game to take off in popularity on Ethereum’s network was CryptoKitties.
This NFT uses smart contracts that allow players to buy and breed virtual cats using Ether for digital currency.
One such cat sold for over $120,000 when it was one of a kind!
Another reason why so many people were interested in CryptoKitties was that a physical copy of each unique digital kitty that exists can be printed out on paper or stone making them similar to collectibles.
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FAQs | Expensive NFTs
Why are some NFTs so expensive?
The value of an NFT is determined by its rarity, uniqueness, and perceived value.
Some NFTs may be expensive because they are created by well-known artists, feature rare or unique attributes, or are associated with a historic moment or cultural event.
What is the most expensive NFT ever sold?
The most expensive NFT ever sold is “Everydays: The First 5000 Days” by Beeple, which sold for $69.3 million in March 2021.
Who buys expensive NFTs?
Expensive NFTs are typically bought by collectors, investors, and individuals who believe that the value of the NFT will appreciate over time.
Many buyers in the NFT market are also enthusiasts of digital art and collectibles.
How are NFTs authenticated?
NFTs are authenticated using blockchain technology, which provides a secure and transparent record of ownership and transaction history.
This ensures that the NFT is unique and cannot be duplicated or copied.
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