There is a section of the NFT world where serious money is made. Blue-chip tokens, named for the most valuable chips in poker, are attracting attention and making headlines because of the bids they are bringing in.
We have listed the five most expensive non-fungible tokens ever sold, as it stands right now. With so much going on in the NFT world right now, the current top five could look very different not so long from now.
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What Makes an NFT Valuable?
It is not an exact science, per se, that can explain why some NFTs are more valuable than others, but there are a few elements that certainly play a part.
- If a celebrity has ever owned or been connected to a particular NFT, it becomes far more collectible. That applies to both mainstream celebrities and iconic buyers within the NFT community.
- Rarity is a significant player in deciding a token’s value. Of course, the very nature of NFTs means that each one is unique, but it comes on a sliding scale. Think of baseball cards, for example. Each card is different, but they are part of a collection. If a player only played one season for a certain club, the card picturing that jersey instantly becomes rarer and, therefore, more valuable. The same applies to NFT collections.
- Some NFTs do more than just provide something interesting to look at. One trend that people are paying good money for is NFTs that influence video games, adding something to it that only the owner of the token can access.
- Famous artists fetch higher prices. There is a lot to be said for brands, be it a company or an individual. Some things sell for insane amounts of money purely because of the person who made them.
In general, NFTs that are deemed likely to appreciate in value are highly sought after.
Most Expensive NFTs Leaderboard: Top Five
#5: Crossroads ($6.66 Million)
Beeple is a name synonymous with NFT success. Arguably the most famous NFT artist of them all (the reason why is sure to become clear when you see the top entry!), anything Beeple releases turns to gold. Crossroads is a satirical political hit at Donald Trump after he lost the election in 2020.
Controversy sells, clearly! Crossroads was not Beeple’s first political hit, nor was it the first to sell for multi-millions. However, this 10-second video was the first to break records, although it was quickly and dramatically overshadowed by a certain other Beeple creation.
#4: CryptoPunk #7804 ($7.57 Million)
It is impossible to talk about NFTs and not mention CryptoPunk. This list of the five most expensive NFTs to date makes it pretty obvious that these weird little dudes are NFT royalty.
The first of the entries from the alien CryptoPunk collection, #7804, is a super-rare NFT because it combines some of the least-common features, including small glasses, a front-facing cap, and a pipe. It was one of several of the nine alien CryptoPunks to sell for six figures in 2021.
#3: CryptoPunk #3100 ($7.58 Million)
Sneaking into third place by a measly $10,000 is CryptoPunk #3100. Another one of the alien punks that brought in big bucks is the bandana-sporting blue man. It sold almost immediately and is, to this day, the second most expensive of the Larva Lab crypto collection.
#2: CryptoPunk #7523 ($11.8 Million)
Number one of 10,000 CryptoPunks and the runner-up for all-time NFT price tags is “Covid Alien.” The bank-busting alien is exceptionally rare for several reasons: it is one of only nine aliens, one of only 44 punks wearing a beanie, and it is the only one wearing a mask.
Fun fact about CryptoPunks in general: they are the original Ethereum blockchain NFTs. What started out as an experiment has grown into a lucrative and highly collectible digital art collection that is helping to define an industry.
#1: Everydays: The First 5000 Days ($69.3 Million)
Taking the top spot- and by quite an impressive margin- is Beeple’s artwork Everydays: The First 5000 Days. It was a record-breaker in many ways. Of course, the eye-watering price tag rocketed it into the eternal hall of fame as the most expensive NFT of all time, but it is notable for other reasons.
It was the first NFT to sell at a major auction house during Christie’s premier digital art auction. The astonishing price tag also cemented Beeple as the third highest-selling living artist in the world.
Who Knows What Comes Next!
Many blue-chick tokens sell for six figures or more, and there is no telling which of them could knock someone off this list. Artists such as Pak, Hakatao, and Xcopy all have bodies of work valued at more than $40,000,000, with individual NFTs climbing into the seven-figure sales region.
Any one of them could drop a new NFT to blow this list out of the water. All we can do is wait and watch.