17/04/2023 The Top 10 Most Expensive NFTs of All Time

While the market for NFTs has cooled from the frenzy that marked 2021, the digital assets are still generating billions of dollars in trading volume in 2023.

Beeple's Everydays

(Beeple)

The hype over non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that overtook news cycles and crypto markets in 2021 has died down. Despite 2023's cooler market, NFTs continue to generate billions of dollars in trading volume. Sales of certain NFTs are still breaking the million-dollar mark, such as in February when Yuga Labs'“Golden Key” netted $1.6 million. This year also includes the$1.4 million sale of CryptoPunk 5066and the$1.3 million purchase of a Bored Ape. In 2022 the highest sale of an NFT, CryptoPunk 5822, was for 800 ETH, at the time wortha whopping $23.7 million.

In some rankings you’ll seeThe Merge by Pakleading the list, but for our methodology we decided to limit the all-time list of most expensive NFTs to sales of single-edition NFTs rather than sales ofopen-edition NFTs. The Merge is a collection of 312,686 NFTs that were sold to 28,983 collectors over a few days inDecember 2021 for a total of $91.8 million. Pak also would have made the list for another open edition called“The Fungible” collection, which netted$16.8 million in sales over three days in April 2021. Don’t feel bad for Pak, though. The artist still made the list and holds the No. 2 spot.

Will any sales break into the top 10 most expensive NFTs? Here’s where the competition stacks up:

The 10 Most Expensive NFTs Ever Sold:

  1. Everydays: The First 5000 Days by Beeple – $69.3 million

  2. Clock by Pak – $52.7 million

  3. Human One by Beeple - $28.9 million

  4. CryptoPunk 5822 – $23.7 million

  5. CryptoPunk 7523 – $11.75 million

  6. TPunk 3442 – $10.5 million

  7. CryptoPunk 4156 – $10.26 million

  8. CryptoPunk 5577 – $7.7 million

  9. CryptoPunk 3100 – $7.58 million

  10. CryptoPunk 7804 – $7.57 million

Here’s more information about each of these pricey digital artworks:

The NFT is a digital collage made up of 5,000 individual images that Beeple created every day (hence the title “Everydays”) for over 13 years. It was sold at Christie's auction house for $69.3 million in March 2021, making it the most expensive NFT ever sold.

This NFT is a clock that tracks the number of days that WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange has been imprisoned and raised funds towards Assange’s legal defense. Clock was sold for $52.7 million in November 2021 to AssangeDAO, who collectively raised the money to buy the piece.

Beeple returns for the No. 3 spot on our list with Human One. This piece is unique in that it has both a physical side and a digital component that changes according to Beeple’s input, and will continue to change throughout the artist’s life. Human One was sold for$28.9 million in November 2021.

The profile pic (PFP) NFT is one of 10,000 unique characters that were created in 2017. CryptoPunk 5822 is a rare "alien" punk, a trait which only nine CryptoPunks share. It was sold for $23.7 million in February 2022.

Another rare CryptoPunk that netted a hefty price is another avatar with the "alien" trait that sold for $11.75 million in June 2021 in anauction run by Sotheby’s.

TPunk (short for “Tron Punk”) is a collection of 10,000 NFTs created in 2021 and lauded as “the first NFT on Tron Blockchain.” TPunk 3442 was sold for $10.5 million in December 2021 toTron Blockchain founder Justin Sunand is called the “Joker” TPunk.

CryptoPunks continues to make the list with this "ape" PFP. CryptoPunk 4156 was sold for $10.26 million in December 2021 and made headlines not only for its price, but also because it was the avatar for the investor then known as Punk4156, who changed their name to simply 4156 after.

Yep, CrypoPunks again. This one also has the rare "ape" trait as well as a cowboy hat and sold for $7.7 million in February 2022.

This CryptoPunk is another with rare “alien” traits like the other high-priced CryptoPunks on the list, selling for $7.58 million in March 2021.

If you haven’t caught on yet, CryptoPunks with the “alien” trait are the most coveted, and this final entry on the list has it as well. It sold for $7.57 million in March 2021.

Arts

https://www.coindesk.com/learn/the-top-10-most-expensive-nfts-of-all-time/

Interesting NFTs
Genesis
José Delbo sent me his striking pencil sketch and powerful inked work, which I then interpreted in oil on canvas. I wanted to create a very painterly piece with obvious brush marks etc, but I was also aiming for a nostalgic feel, a kind of 1980’s superhero comic book look, the kind I grew up with. My goal with this animation was to try to recreate, in part, the creative process that both artists went through with the visual information I had. I was able to showcase my painting process more accurately as I could take photographs of my progress throughout. Consecutive images could then be layered like brush strokes over José’s drawing to create the impression that this was one continuous artwork from pencil, to ink, to completed painting. The representation of the line sketch at the beginning, then pencil/ink and lastly the paint layers being applied demonstrate both artists’ struggle for the right lines, tone, form, and colour until the work is finally completed. As the oil was still wet with each photograph the glare of my studio lights can be seen in the brush strokes. Eventually, the figure emerges and as it does, our hero comes to life, looking directly at the viewer -- but is he grimacing in approval or disgust? We will never know for sure as just before he can say anything, white paint is brushed across the canvas entirely and the process begins again. Only the bat is quick enough to escape.
Parrot on a perch with two other ornamental birds
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) Parrot on a perch with two other ornamental birds 1797-1806 - Japan
The River of Emeralds
Golden conditions at one of my favorite locations in the Rockies. The light, the colors, the textures; what more can you ask for? I just loved the way this river flowed into the sunset and the mountains in the background. It's rare you find a scene as perfect as this one. But when you do, you have to take advantage of it.
Pixel Story
This happy-go-lucky tribe made of lovable pixel Kitties have so much to talk about. While their language skills are simplistic, each Kitty still manages to express themselves with a variety of colorful emoticons and poses. From communicating their basic emotions, to discussing the economic implications of rising Ethereum gas prices, Pixel Tribe Kitties will keep each other entertained for hours. As their communications evolve and become more sophisticated, the inhabitants will come to realize that certain combinations of emotes will unlock secrets within their world. Try it out for yourself, if you're lucky enough to adopt a Kitty. Use the coordinate guide at: https://share.getcloudapp.com/7KumW6Lk to position your kitty Layer.
Rare Apepe #5420
This Rare Apepe is an homage to Bored Ape #4040