This Famous 'Buy Bitcoin' Sign Netted An Intern $1M

Zinger Key Points
  • An anonymous buyer won the auction, paying 16 Bitcoin for the iconic piece of cryptocurrency history.
  • The nightclub meme photo, similarly auctioned for 15 Ethereum, underscores the rise in value of meme-driven artifacts.
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The hastily-scribbled “Buy Bitcoin BTC/USD” sign that went viral during a Congressional hearing in 2017 has become a million-dollar collector’s item.

What Happened: The now-iconic sign, a symbol of early Bitcoin enthusiasm, sold for a staggering $1.027 million at auction, Bloomberg reported.

The winning bid, placed anonymously, came in at 16 bitcoin.

There was a brief moment of confusion during the final minutes when a technical error displayed a much higher bid, but the final price settled at the million mark.

The seller was Christian Langalis, the then 22-year-old intern who impulsively created the sign and held it up behind then-Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen during her testimony.

Langalis was promptly escorted out of the hearing room, but his message clearly resonated with the crypto community.

This sky-high auction price reflects the incredible rise of Bitcoin itself.

Since 2017, the value of Bitcoin has skyrocketed from around $2,300 to a record high of nearly $74,000 earlier this year.

This surge has attracted major financial institutions like Fidelity and BlackRock Inc., along with a renewed wave of interest from retail investors.

As a result, early Bitcoin artifacts like the “Buy Bitcoin” sign are experiencing a resurgence in popularity.

This unassuming legal pad, once a bargain at $8.99 for a three-pack, now stands as a testament to the transformative power of cryptocurrency.

Also Read: Trump’s Crypto Portfolio Rebounds With $1M Weekly Profit: Which ‘Crazy New Currencies’ Does He Hold?

Beyond The Bitcoin Bonanza

The story doesn’t end with Bitcoin.

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This week also saw another internet meme go up for auction.

This image, featuring a man yelling into a woman’s ear while looking at another woman, has been widely shared and parodied online.

Currently, the highest bid for this meme sits at 15 Ethereum ETH/USD.

These high-profile auctions highlight the growing value of digital assets, both established like Bitcoin and more whimsical like viral memes.

The Future Of Digital Assets: A Discussion At Benzinga’s Upcoming Event

These sales are just two examples of how digital assets are reshaping the way we interact with and value online content.

The Benzinga Future of Digital Assets event, scheduled for Nov. 19, will bring together industry leaders, analysts, and investors to explore these critical trends.

Read Next: Why Is MOG Crypto Coin Going Up? Trader Sees ‘Billions’ As Price Target

Image: Shutterstock

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