Ever since the introduction of Bitcoin in 2008, cryptocurrencies have grown to become one of the most talked-about topics. While Bitcoin was the first major cryptocurrency, it is not without its flaws. One flaw that many people share concerns how much power mining takes up and what this means for our environment. This has led some people to look for alternatives like Cryptopunk – an ERC-721 token on Ethereum with a focus on sustainability and decentralization; but still offers enough utility so that it can be used as a currency outside of just being held or traded.
What are CryptoPunks?
CryptoPunks are 10×10 pixel art collectibles associated with a unique ID that can be permanently owned by individuals. Each Punk has its own character traits which are quantified into Punk Points (PP) to determine the rarity of each Punk. The rarity of Punks ranges from 1 to 10,000 PP depending on how rare they were produced during CryptoPunks’ initial release in July 2017.
“Zombi” Cryptopunk #8857 Sells for $6.63 Million
The digital Punk #8857 sold for 2,000 ETH or $6.63 million making it the fourth most expensive Punk NFT to date. Punk #8857 is notable as its sale price is a huge leap from the previous Punk NFT record-holders; like Cryptokitties which sold for 246 ETH or $246,700. This Punk is unique as it is 1 of the 88 Zombie Punks available. It also features wild hair that is only available on 447 punks and 3D glasses available on only 286 punks.
CryptoPunk 8857 has been purchased on the Ethereum blockchain by an anonymous buyer whose address is 0xf2a70b.
Why are People so Excited About this Sale?
So why would someone buy Punk #8857? That’s part of its appeal. The Punk is obviously unique with only 999 copies available.
How You Can Get Your Hands on a CryptoPunk NFT too!
CryptoPunks is probably one of the most unique and creative online collectibles that you can possibly own.
Each Punk has a code attached to the Punk’s name and accompanying profile; so it’s easy to register your Punk and keep track of them all! All Punks have different names, descriptions, artworks, and stories written by their Punk Keeper. You can trade or even sell your Punk if you please.
CryptoPunk is also available as an Ethereum token with fungible Punk Tokens which are currently for sale on OpenSea. You can read more about CryptoPunks over at their website here