Peerless and Most Expensive NFTs

The value and popularity of NFTs tokens have risen steadily in recent years. Numerous outstanding and superior non-fungible tokens have been traded for millions of dollars. Despite skyrocketing Ethereum gas fees, NFTs remain a sought-after digital asset among investors and eminent collectors. The unique nature of NFT- especially the immutability of blockchain technology and the potential future value of these tokens- has helped push these tokenized assets to reach their current stature.

Why are some NFTs so expensive? To answer this question, you need to understand that NFTs are unique and irreplaceable. They are like Picasso’s artwork. While there are many counterfeit Picassos in the world, the originals are absolute and irreplaceable. The same applies to non-fungible token, which is essentially virtual holdings that are stored on a blockchain network. Blockchain makes it possible to trace the ownership of the asset, thereby ensuring the authenticity of the asset.

There are different aspects that influence the value of a non-fungible token. This includes utility, potential worth, ownership history, and liquidity premium. Collections like the Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks have sold out instantly due to their perceived value in the market. The secondary sale of these NFTs has also proven to be highly profitable for buyers.

Famous digital artists like Beeple, Pak, and XCOPY are consistently breaking records with their new collections, instantly selling out in a matter of hours. As the value of NFT art advances to skyrocket, let’s take a look at the 25 costliest tokens that’s ever sold.

Top 25 Most Expensive Non-fungible Tokens

Here are some of the outstanding and costly non-fungible tokens of all time

The Merge by Pak- $91.8 million:

Acclaimed virtual artist Pak’s latest creation, ‘The Merge’ officially became the costliest non-fungible token, with 28,983 collectors paying a whopping USD 91.8 million. The price set a new high for a public sale of artwork by a living artist. In other words, it was the highest non-fungible token sale in crypto history. Rather than creating a static artwork, Pak chose to create a collection of ‘mass’ that anyone could buy. A total of 312,686 units of ‘mass’ were sold through an open edition from Thursday through Saturday on the Nifty Gateway marketplace. The ‘mass’ grew in size as the total number of potential buyers grew. The final NFT was delivered to the buyers on Monday. As of 2022, this illustration remains the highest-selling non-fungible token of all time.

The First 5000 Days- $69 million:

The First 5,000 Days by Beeple (Mike Winkelmann) was the most costly NFT ever sold prior to getting overtaken by The Merge. The NFT is essentially a collage of individual 5000 pieces of Winkelmann’s art. This work by Mike started in 2007 and went on for thirteen years wherein he incorporated new elements each day.

The artwork was sold by the world-famous auction house, Christie to MetaKovan for $69,346,250. MetaKovan dubbed Winkelmann as a “digital-native generation artist.” The sale also happens to be the world’s first virtual-art sale on non-fungible tokens to support ETH payment.

Clock By PAK- $52.7 million:

‘Clock’ is part of an NFT collection called “Censored,” created in collaboration by Pak and Julian Assange, the imprisoned founder of Wikileaks. The objective of this collection was to raise the necessary financial support for Assange’s legal defense. A group of over 10,000 people pooled their money to buy the ‘Clock’ NFT for 16,593 ETH, which is approximately $52.7 million. The installation consists of a single non-fungible token depicting a timer that tallies the number of days Assange has now been arrested. It also has a dynamic, open edition.

Human One- $28.9 million:

The fourth most valuable NFT is Beeple’s ‘Human One’ NFT. This work is a combination of virtual and tangible aspects and was auctioned off for $28.9 million. The NFT is a life-size 3D moving sculpture that depicts a film of a human in a spacesuit exploring various extraterrestrial environments on a loop. Furthermore, the artwork is encased in a box constructed of LED screens with a revolving base that shows the observer several viewpoints of the sculpture. According to the artist, he plans to utilize the blockchain to regularly edit the video currently streaming on the screen and continue to update the footage throughout his life.

CryptoPunk #5822- $23.3 million:

This non-fungible token was auctioned for 8,000 ETH, on February 12, 2022. #5822 is now the most costly CryptoPunk yet. CryptoPunk #5822 is one of the 10,000 non-fungible token collection’s nine aliens and also among the 333 punks who sport a bandana. The 8,000 ETH sale breaks the previous record set by the “COVID Alien” CryptoPunk #7523 at Sotheby’s “Natively Digital: A Curated NFT Sale” in June 2021. Chain Protocol’s CEO, Deepak Thapliyal, hit the headlines when he bought this marvelous non-fungible token. Deepak has been a significant figure in the NFT scene since its inception. Thapliyal acquired the NFT utilizing leverage through Compound Finance.

CryptoPunk #7523- $11.8 million:

This is another non-fungible token by Matt Hall and John Watkinson that set a record in sales. This Punk is one of just nine Alien punks whose medical mask characteristic makes it particularly relevant in these COVID-affected times. This was undoubtedly one of the reasons DraftKings spent a whopping $11.8 million for it, propelling this CryptoPunk to the top of the most expensive NFTs list. The collection has been popular with crypto investors, with many of its rare pieces selling for millions of dollars. It comprises 8-bit visuals of humanoid beings known as Punks, each with their own unique set of traits.

CryptoPunk #4156- $10.26 million:

This non-fungible token is one of the costliest pieces in the CryptoPunk series, selling for 2,500 ETH. This non-fungible token is one among the rare 24 ape CryptoPunks and the second rare CryptoPunk type after zombies and aliens. Punk4156, a well-known investor, bought the iconic NFT on February 18 for 650 ETH ($1.25M) and sold it for 2500 ETH, making this one of the largest CryptoPunk sales to date.

CryptoPunk #5577- $8.1 million:

The Cryptopunk #5577 NFT sold for 2500 ETH ($8.1 million), and it was purchased by Robert Leshner, the developer of the Compound DeFi protocol. This particular non-fungible token has a punk dressed as a cowboy sporting a hat. Robert Leshner tweeted “Yeehaw” shortly after the purchase. Although Robert has no direct confirmation regarding the acquisition, many believe the tweet signifies that he is the new owner of this unique NFT.

CryptoPunk #3100- $7.58 million:

This token was acquired at $7.58 million, in 2021 after #7804 was auctioned. Following the sale, it became one of the most costly punks in the collection. #3100 is an Alien punk who only wears a white and blue headpiece. It is the seventh rare CryptoPunk in existence. Being one among the nine Alien Punks, this Punk also possesses an Alien skin, which adds greatly to its entire net value. The truth that 406 people out of 10,000 in the series sport a headband emphasizes its exclusivity.

CryptoPunk #7804- $7.57 million:

CryptoPunk #7804 was released in March 2021 concurrently #3100. It was sold for 4200 ETH or $7.57 million by Dylan Field, the CEO of Figma. Field called #7804 the digital Mona Lisa. This Punk is one of just nine Alien punks, complete with a stylish cap, smoke pipe, and shades.

Ringers #109- $7.1 million:

The Ringers #109 NFT is the highest-selling NFT in the ART Blocks NFT project. Prior to this, Ringer #879 held the record as the most expensive NFT sold on August 28, 2021. The asset was sold for 2100 ETH ($7.1 million). It was bought by an unknown investor who was later revealed to be Akira, co-founder of NarcissusGLRY. Akira bought it for only $230 in March 2021 and later sold it for a 3.2M% return. Ringers #109 is a medium-sized ringer NFT with 11 characteristic features including a white body with a red accent, which is an extremely rare trait found in only 0.31 percent of NFT collections. Loop wrap technique and balanced wrap orientation are two further unusual traits.

Right-click save As guy- $7.0 million:

“Right-click and Save As Guy” is a meme non-fungible token designed by XCOPY. This 1/1 edition piece entered the most expensive NFTs list when it was purchased from SuperRare on December 9, 2021, for 1600 ETH ( $7.0 million) by iconic hip hop star Snoop Dogg. The NFT is a mockery of people who don’t believe in the power/worth of internet art. The meme is widely utilized sarcastically by people who want to offend others who believe that NFTs are worthless.

CryptoPunk #8857- $6.63 million:

CryptoPunk #8857 is part of the Zombie Punk series. It was sold for 2000 ETH, or $6.63 million. This Punk is one of only 88 Zombie Punks in existence. It also has wild hair, which is only available to 447 punks, and 3D spectacles, which are only available to 286 punks.

Crossroad $6.6 million:

This is a visual illustration by Beeple, that was resold for $6.6 million. It joins the list of expensive non-fungible tokens, among Beeple’s pieces. Pablorfraile, a Twitter user, sold it to an unnamed buyer. After losing the 2020 presidential election, Crossroad depicts former US President Trump laying in a heap with disparaging comments scribbled on his body. The NFT was modeled to be altered depending on the results of the 2020 presidential election.

The Ross Ulbricht Genesis NFT collection- $6.27 million:

The auction for “The Ross Ulbricht Genesis NFT collection” was won by the Pleasrdao-backed ‘FreeRossDAO.’ At the time of settlement, the collection had raised 1446 ETH or $6.27 million. This series included Ross Ulbricht’s ten art pieces and writings, developed from childhood to adolescence, and an animation created by Levitate, a designer.

The animation also has contributions from Ross in the form of voice-over. The collection was created by Entoptic with the goal of donating the revenues to the Art4giving fund in order to liberate Ulbricht. It is believed that Assange Dao that won the ‘Clock’ was actually inspired by FreeRossDAO.

All Time High in the City- $6.18 million:

Another artwork by artist XCOPY to make it to the top-selling NFT list is the ‘All-Time High in the City’ NFT. Minted in 2018, the NFT was sold for 1,630 ETH on SuperRare, which equates to $6,189,469 in today’s money. The NFT combines the legendary aesthetic of XCOPY, who is well known for his dystopian-themed visuals, with contemporary scary aesthetics.

The image depicts a ferryman in his boat delivering a weary trader to hell. The combination of simple hues and glitch elements creates a scary representation of death, making it an ideal dystopian-inspired piece of art.

A Coin for the Ferryman- $6.01 million:

“A Coin for the Ferryman’ is a stunning, one-of-a-kind non-fungible token by XCOPY in 2018. The artwork was initially purchased by @0xclipse for 0.5 ETH (about $139 at the time). In November 2021, it was purchased by @jpeggy for 1330.0ETH ( $6.01 million), making it one of the most expensive NFT pieces. The painting shows a human with ever-changing facial expressions. It is based on the Greek mythology of “a coin for the ferryman,” which was a payment or bribe paid to Charon, the Ferryman who transported souls across the river that divided the dead from the living realms.

Ocean Front- $6 million:

This is a new age visual art that is part of “Everydays” series by Beeple’s. It was auctioned on the Nifty Gateway with the caption “together we can solve this.” The work strives to address the current climate change crisis. It depicts a tree laying on a representation of trailers and shipping containers sitting atop an ocean floor. The auction got successive bids from three buyers, including Twitter users @3fmusic, @BabyBelugaNFT, and Justin Sun, the Tron Foundation’s Founder and CEO. The auction began at $2.77 million, with Justin Sun placing the winning bid at $6 million. After the sale, Beeple announced on Twitter that he would be donating the proceeds to environmental charities.

Ringers #879- 5.8 Million:

Ringers #879, designed by NFT artist Dmitri Cherniak and minted on Art Blocks, was purchased via a secondary market transaction for 1800 ETH ( $5.8 million). The NFT was bought by Singapore-based cryptocurrency investment firm Three Arrows Capital. The purchase represents the most cash ever spent on an Art Blocks piece. According to some reports, the previous record was 1000 ETH, or almost $2.6 million. Moreover, #879 is more than three times the price of the previous highest sale, which was 500 ETH or approximately $1.6 million. Peg count, pattern wrap orientation, size, and a few colorful flourishes are among the aspects of the Ringers collection. The output of each Ringer is derived from a unique transaction hash and generated in the browser using Javascript. Ringer #879 is a yellow ringer with an off-center weave and a white background.

Serum #69- $5.8 million:

This non-fungible token is from the BAYC collection, which traded for 1542.069 ETH. This OpenSea transaction set a new high for BAYC, making Serum #69 one of the most valuable NFTs. Deepak Thapliyal, a well-known NFT investor, purchased this token from Cryptobeaker.

The Club has 10,000 Mutant Serum non-fungible tokens. The club is divided into three tiers- M1, M2, and M3 Mutant Serums. The M1 and M2 Serums retain some natural characteristics while modifying the actual Ape. In contrast, the M3 Serum gives rise to more extreme features than the previous version.

CryptoPunk #5217- $5.44 million:

CryptoPunk #5127 was auctioned for $5.44 million in July 2021. It is a gold chain sporting Ape among the 24 Ape punks with a crocheted cap, distinguishing the Punk from all the other CryptoPunks in the series.

World Wide Web Source Code- $5.43 million:

Tim Berners, the architect of the WWW, auctioned the source code as a non-fungible token in at Sotheby’s for $5.4 million. The auction was held from June 23 to June 30, 2021. This non-fungible token is called “This Changes Everything,” and has four parts.

The first part is a set of files that are marked with date and consists of source codes for HTTP, HTML, and URIs. Next, it consists of 30 minutes silent video of a person typing a code on blank monitor, includes a letter from Berners-Lee, dated June 2021, reflecting on his experience developing the code, and the code’s virtual poster autographed by Berners-Lee.

Sotheby announced that the proceeds from the NFT sale would be donated to causes backed by Berners-Lee and his wife, Rosemary Leith.

CryptoPunk #7252- $5.3 million:

CryptoPunk #7252 was initially acquired for $2.5 million in early August 2021. However, in a span of weeks, the price of #7252 almost doubled. It was sold for 1600 ETH or $5.3 million.

Save Thousand of Lives- $5.1 million:

‘Save Thousand of Lives’ NFT was projected by Noora Health, a non-profit working in South Asia. The organization trains new moms on caring for their newborn kids once they return home. The art created by the non-profit was sold for $5.1 million. The foundation estimates that nine lives can be saved for every 1,000 births at $1,235 per life spared. The auction saw more than 18,000 collectors bid on the NFT. In the end, Paul Graham was the winner of the auction.

Stay Free- $4.9 million:

This is a non-fungible token created by Edward Snowden that was bought for 2224 ETH. The artwork is an illustration made up of court records from the 2013 judgment that stated that Snowden broke the law by disclosing the NSA’s bulk surveillance programs. The buyer of this non-fungible token was revealed to be PleasrDAO, a decentralized autonomous organization. Snowden stated that he would not profit from the sale because the proceeds would be sent to an organization where he served as President.

Conclusion

There’s no denying that NFTs are a lucrative investment opportunity. However, in the current scenario, it indeed begs the question, “How far may the prices of non-fungible token rise?”. If you put your money into the correct crypto ventures and are patient, you could end up with a fortune. As NFTs evolve, we can anticipate additional utility and adoptions beyond digital collectibles and perhaps more significant ROI. Know more on how to invest in NFT.

FAQs

Why are non-fungible tokens so expensive?

NFTs are expensive because they are unique, one-of-a-kind digital assets. These assets cannot be replicated. The rarity and potential value of these digital assets make them expensive. Moreover, NFTs created by celebrities and famous digital artists add more weight to their underlying value. Like paintings by world-famous painters, the prospects of these NFTs are likely to grow exponentially. Therefore, more investors are willing to pay a higher price for NFT. Another reason NFTs are expensive is that many experts believe that it is a bubble. As a new technology, NFTs have captured the world’s attention, driving their value drastically. Know more about how to price your NFT.

Who possesses the most expensive non-fungible token in the globe?

Vignesh Sundaresan is the owner of the most expensive NFT in the world. He purchased Beeple’s “Everydays: The First 500 Days” for a staggering $69 million at a Christie’s auction. Sundaresan’s purchase price is what propelled NFTs into the mainstream psyche. He bought the artwork under the pseudonym MetaKovan. Sundaresan explained following the historic sale that one of his motivations for acquiring Beeple’s work was to educate Indians and other people of color that they, too, could become art curators.

What is the costliest non-fungible token of 2023?

The Merge by PAK’s NFT Artwork is now the most costly non-fungible token ever sold as of 2023. Murat Pak is a famous virtual artist and a household name in the NFT sphere. His NFT, The Merge, is a collection of ‘masses’ that anyone can buy. 28,000 collectors bought a total of 266,434 units of ‘mass’ for roughly $91.8 million. 

The Merge was sold in an open auction on Nifty Gateway. Purchasers could as many tokens as they want at $575 each, with the cost rising by $25 for every 3600 minutes.