Top Most Expensive NFT Ever Sold
Non-Fungible Tokens are not going anywhere.
The NFT world is now bigger than ever before, all thanks to the perks provided by blockchain technology.
Nowadays, a single artwork minted on the blockchain can be worth millions.
Although we have already embraced the digital world and cryptocurrencies, asset ownership is the next step we must adopt.
That’s why crypto art is so relevant these days, and it will continue to be for the years to come.
Nonetheless, there have been some expensive NFTs that have been sold for astonishing amounts during the past months, and today, we are going to show them to you.
Read more to learn about:
- Top 10 most expensive NFT in 2022;
- Understanding crypto art and NFT sales;
- Analyzing each expensive NFT sale.
What’s Behind Expensive NFT Artworks?
NFTs are the next chapter of art history. Physical artwork had already acquired a value depending on its uniqueness and the valuable living artists that create them.
Now, this concept is being translated to Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), leading to the biggest sales that we can think of when it comes to digital artwork.
The key is offering more than a featured image and going one step beyond everybody can think of.
For instance, Canadian artist Mad Dog Jones creates a single NFT every 28 days, with his work sold for over $4 million.
Some say it is money laundering, and others say that people are overpaying.
At the end of the day, NFT prices depend on offer and demand, and having creative control of an asset can be a true game-changer.
Pro Tip: The number one marketplace in the world is OpenSea. You can sell, buy, and trade NFTs on this marketplace through safe gateways.
Learn How to Sell NFTs on OpenSea by reading our related post.
Top 10 Most Expensive NFT Ever Sold
The most expensive NFTs sold have something in common: they offer something beyond a simple image or video.
Some have been sold through auctions, and some others at a fixed price.
In any case, we have direct and remote access to the information related to the most expensive NFT artworks, so let’s get to it.
Read Also: You don’t want others to know that you are the rightful owner of some valuable NFTs? You can simply Hide NFTs on OpenSea.
You can even hide an entire collection if you please! Read the previously mentioned article to learn more about this matter.
1. The Merge - $91.8 Million of Digital Art
The Merge isn’t a simple artwork - it is a collection of fragmented art created by the anonymous artist, Pak.
It was sold on Nifty Gateway back in December 2021 for over $90 million, which makes it the most expensive NFT sale ever.
The concept behind the digital artist wasn’t to create a single featured image, but a “Merging” of art that collectors could co-own.
2. Everydays - The First 5000 Days - $69.3 Million
This NFT artwork created by the renowned artist Beeply was sold at a courtesy Christie’s auction back in March 2021 for more than $69 million.
The NFT created by Beeple consists of 5,000 pictures taken from 2007 to 2020 - 5,000 days, 5,000 images.
“Everydays - The First 5000 Days” is, for many, the NFT that started it all.
After the original piece was sold, Noah Davis, an art specialist, said that “The First 5000 Days proves the true potential of NFTs.”
3. Clock - An Unprecedented NFT - $52.7 Million
When we talk about the Clock, we are not talking about a classic NFT - we are referring to something bigger.
The Clock is a dynamic NFT that shows the number of days since Julian Assange was imprisoned.
Accused of computer hacking, conspiracy, and other crimes, Assange hasn’t been able to stay free since then.
As a consequence, AssangeDAO made a bid of 6,593 ETH, more than $52 million, to buy the Clock.
The funds would go directly to aid Assange’s defense.
4. Human One - Contemporary Art Worth $28.9 Million
Beeple strikes again with Human One, an NFT sold for over $28 million in late 2021.
It features distorted visual loops of an astronaut walking in an ever-changing environment.
It was sold through an auction house, and according to the experts, “Human One is more than Beeple’s piece - it is a way to show the complexity of minted tokens.”
5. Cryptopunk #5822 - $23.7 Million
It is time to talk about Cryptopunks NFT. Cryptopunks are nothing more than an Alien Punk with a pixelated face, so what is so special about them?
Well, for starters, Larva Labs (creators of Cryptopunks) have managed to rank them as the OG NFT Collection for NFT projects all over the world.
Larva Labs, co-founded in 2005 by John Watkinson and Matt Hall, experienced an enormous sale in February 2022, when Cryptopunk #5822 sold for over $23 million.
6. Cryptopunk #7523 - $11.75 Million
There’s something really unique about Cryptopunk #7523: it has a mask, which directly reminds us of pandemic times.
The starting bid at a Sotheby’s auction hosted in a natively digital environment surpassed $11 million dollars in no time.
7. Cryptopunk #4156 - $10.26 Million
There was a polemic around the sale of Cryptopunk #4156 back in December 2021.
It was used to launch an entirely new NFT project, way different from the vision that Larva Lab first had.
Still, its listed price of more than $10 million was successfully met in its correspondent sale.
8. Right-Click and Save As Guy - $7 Million
Why do you spend millions on digital art if you can just “ Right Click and Save As?”
Well, although it is clear that ownership in the blockchain transcends this simple concept, some people that don’t fully understand NFTs are always saying stuff like this.
That’s why Right Click and Save As Guy exists, and that’s why it participated in a sale of more than $7 million.
The interesting part is that it was bought by someone called “Cozomo de Medici,” who turned out to be the rapper Snoop Dogg.
Who would have thought!
9. NFT Artwork Ringers - $6.93 Million
Art blocks Ringers consist of spinning rings that might even be considered hypnotically.
It was sold back in 2021 for almost $7 million dollars, and to this day, its owner remains anonymous.
10. A Coin for the Ferry Man - $6 Million
We will finish this list with “A Coin for the Ferryman,” an NFT in the form of a GIF that performs a man changing facial expressions in a frankly weird way.
It was sold for an original price of $6 million on the Super Rare marketplace back in late 2021.
This is just the tip of the iceberg - the NFT boom is just starting.
Artists are now realizing the potential of their artworks, and the industry will take an enormous step in 2022.
New forms of art, such as hybrid digital and classic artworks, will continue taking the world by storm.
Collections such as Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT will be more relevant than ever, and GrowFollowing will be here to serve as your guide through the NFT and crypto space.
FAQ
Is Nifty Gateway Better Than OpenSea?
We can’t say that one is better than the other, but OpenSea is the biggest and most popular NFT marketplace for a reason. Check out some cool OpenSea Statistics in 2022 to learn the secret sauce behind OpenSea’s success.
Steve specializes in cryptocurrency and finance. As a born researcher, he won’t leave any stone unturned when it comes to topics he covers.