Silk Road Founder Ulbricht’s Auction Sparks Millions—Who Knew Prison Art Could Be So Valuable? 🤔

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In a display of human folly and material longing, an auction was held for the personal artifacts of Ross Ulbricht, the man behind Silk Road, and it surprisingly fetched over $1.8 million in Bitcoin, much to everyone’s amazement. Or perhaps dismay. 🚶‍♂️

Ulbricht, who was pardoned—yes, pardoned!—by the ever-mysterious Donald Trump earlier this year, decided to part with some relics. These ranged from the mundane—sleeping bags and backpacks—to the oddly sentimental—drum sets and prison paintings—all sold on the Bitcoin-only marketplace called Scarce City. Because what could be more charming than a prison notebook and a piece of crypto history? 😅

“I’ve left Arizona, the state where I was in prison. It’s time to travel,” Ulbricht announced, as if he was planning a vacation rather than auctioning off the detritus of his incarceration. “I don’t need the reminders and I’m sure some of you will love to have them.” Oh yes, who wouldn’t want a prison lock? Or a fading painting created behind bars? The market is strange. 🎨

Ulbricht’s final prison ID card fetches 11 BTC

One of the crown jewels was his last prison ID card, which sold for a staggering 11 BTC—roughly over $1.1 million in today’s wild crypto ride. Ulbricht quipped, “The guard tried to get me to stop smiling for the photo, but my joy comes from within.” Probably from knowing he was about to be a millionaire, or simply because he was in prison and had no choice. 😂

Another highlight was a collaborative painting by Ulbricht and a fellow inmate known as “Omega,” which quietly attracted the winning bid of 1.01 BTC. “It gave me the feeling that, if I could pass through it, something better would be on the other side,” said Ulbricht—perhaps referring to the art, or possibly just wanting to escape reality. 🎭

Bidding was serious business, with participants required to deposit 1% of their bid—just in case—plus last-minute bids resetting the countdown. A game of patience, or perhaps a test of one’s Bitcoin stamina. Final payments are due by June 2, with Bitcoin preferred, though PayPal’s tiny finger also had a chance to join. 💸

Millions in Dormant Bitcoin—Waiting Like a Lazy Cat

Beyond the auction, a treasure trove of about 430 BTC—worth roughly $47 million—remains untouched, probably gathering dust in wallets that Ulbricht forgot he owned. These wallets, untouched for over 13 years, were never confiscated by authorities, much like that attic full of mysterious boxes everyone keeps meaning to explore. 🕰️

Coinbase insider Conor Grogan illuminated this secret hoard on X (formerly Twitter), revealing, “I found ~430 BTC across dozens of wallets associated with Ross Ulbricht that were not confiscated by the [US government] and have been untouched for 13+ years.” Ah, the sweet smell of cryptocurrency stagnation. Blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence confirmed the story, pinpointing 14 Bitcoin addresses linked to Silk Road, one of which alone contains over $9 million. And we thought we were good at hiding our secrets. 🤷‍♂️

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2025-06-01 09:49