- CryptoPunk #7804, one of only 9 Alien CryptoPunks, sold for 4850 ETH ($16.2 million) this week in the 2nd largest sale ever for the collection.
- The sale ranks as the 5th most expensive NFT sale to date, with other record sales including a different Alien CryptoPunk and Beeple’s Everydays collage.
- The previous owner felt they didn’t properly showcase the NFT, but found a new buyer who will “appropriately elevate this asset”, as CryptoPunks helped pave the way for PFP collections.
CryptoPunks have long been one of the blue-chip NFT collections on Ethereum, and a particularly rare one just sold for a massive sum despite the recent crypto market downturn. One of the coveted Alien CryptoPunks traded hands in the second-largest sale ever for the collection.
The Purchase
An anonymous buyer picked up CryptoPunk #7804 on Wednesday for 4850 ETH, which was worth $16.2 million at the time. There are only 9 Alien Punks in the collection, making this one exceptionally rare. It’s only topped by another Alien Punk that sold for $23.7 million last month. The new owner’s identity is still unknown, but they funded the purchase through Coinbase.
The Significance
This sale ranks as the 5th most expensive NFT sale ever, behind other CryptoPunk sales and the record-setting $69.3 million sale of Beeple’s Everydays art collage. CryptoPunks were originally given away for free in 2017, but huge sums have been spent on rare specimens as the NFT market exploded. Nearly $3 billion worth have traded overall.
The Seller’s Story
The previous owner of Punk #7804 lamented not promoting it more during their year of ownership. “I’ve long felt like an imposter. Holding punks and potentially NFTs as a whole hostage by not elevating 7804 in the way he deserves,” they tweeted. But they found a buyer who will “appropriately elevate this asset.” CryptoPunks helped pave the way for profile picture collections, and this one will likely become a centerpiece for its new owner.
