29+ Most Expensive NFTs Ever Sold

Non-fungible tokens, popularly known as NFTs, are some of the most sought-after commodities in today’s market, with some selling for millions. 

In today’s world, NFTs have transformed how people perceive art, particularly digital art. Now, digital artists are aiming for the stars with their works, as investors and art collectors are willing to pay top dollar for them – as NFTs.

Although the NFT market has not retained the heights of 2021, when it generated around $25 billion in trading volume, it is still going quite strong, and there is no doubt about the future potential of NFTs. 

While we wait to see how far the NFT market will expand, let’s take a look at the most expensive NFT sales to date.

The 29+ Most Expensive NFTs Sold (Updated for 2023)

The Merge was created by digital artist Pak, and it currently ranks as the most expensive NFT ever sold – officially. 

This piece was sold for $91.8 million on Nifty Gateway in December 2021. Given his reputation in the NFT world, it is little surprise that a Pak masterpiece would command such a huge fee in the market.

The Merge collection is the perfect example of blockchain technology being used to generate digital art. This Gemini-powered NFT collection is based on a distinct smart contract mechanism that rewards collectors who purchased multiple units of ‘mass.’ 

Almost 30,000 individuals gathered to acquire over 312,000 units of this ‘mass,’ which were then pieced together to form a unique NFT for each individual. 

It is worth noting that this NFT sale took place over a period of 48 hours (two days).

2. Everydays: the First 5000 Days – $69.44 million

Artist: Beeple

Next on this list is ‘Everydays: the First 5000 Days’ by Beeple. It is the second-most expensive NFT ever sold, and as the name suggests, this piece comprises 5,000 unique images. 

Beeple commenced work on this artwork as far back as May 2007. This involved him posting a single image continuously for the next 13 years. “Everydays: the First 5000 Days” was purchased at Christie’s by the famous crypto investor, MetaKovan, for  38,525 ETH (a whooping sum of $69.44 million at the time.)

Thanks to this NFT sale, Beeple made it to the limelight, landing himself brand deals with Louis Vuitton and Nike. In fact, he gained celebrity status as a result, amassing over 1.8 million followers on Instagram.

3. Clock – $52.7 million

Artists: Pak, Assange

Clock is the product of a collaborative effort between the artist Pak and Julian Assange, the incarcerated WikiLeaks founder. This piece is Pak’s second entry on this list – and perhaps their most significant work yet. Clock is one of the NFTs in the “Censored” collection, which featured a dynamic open edition.

This NFT shows a timer that counts the number of days Assange has been detained. It was purchased by 10,000 members of the AssangeDAO – a decentralized autonomous organization dedicated to the freedom of the WikiLeaks founder. Clock was sold for 16,953 ETH (the equivalent of $52.7 million at the time).

4. HUMAN ONE – $28.9 million

Artist: Beeple

“HUMAN ONE” is a one-of-a-kind dynamic NFT created by Beeple. It was the second NFT of Beeple sold by major auction house, Christie’s, during their 21st-century Evening Sale.

The physical kinetic video sculpture was sold as one piece with this NFT, which contains a smart contract uniquely designed for Beeple to maintain access to the constantly-evolving image display.

On the 9th of November, 2021, Beeple’s HUMAN ONE was sold for $28.9 million – an equivalent of 4,700 ETH at the time. This price put this unique NFT at fourth place on the list of the most expensive NFTs ever sold.

5. CryptoPunk #5822 – $23.7 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

This is the first NFT from the CryptoPunk collection to appear on this list. It was sold for 8,000 ETH (approximately $23.7 million) in February 2022. #5822 is an alien-styled punk – one of only nine alien punks – that has a blue bandana wrapped around its head.

This CryptoPunk is one of the most valuable NFTs of all time. Deepak Thapiliyal, the CEO of Chain, purchased it through Compound Finance’s DeFi protocol. Thapiliyal used a loan to complete the NFT purchase.

6. CryptoPunk #7523 – $11.75 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

Famously known as the ‘COVID Alien’, this CryptoPunk is one of nine rare alien punks from the NFT collection. So, it came as no shock when a whopping sum of $11.75 million (4,700 ETH) was paid for it during Sotheby’s Natively Digital Auction in June 2021. 

#7523 boasts three distinctive features, including a beanie on its head, a medical mask – from which it got its famous nickname, and a gold earring.

It’s worth mentioning that this notable NFT sale was not recorded on the blockchain, and it has remained at the same address since this sale.

7. Tpunk #3442 – $10.5 million

Collection: Tpunks

Imitation is not a strange phenomenon in the NFT space. In fact, it is considered as the most sincere form of flattery in the crypto world. The Tpunks NFT collection, for example, was inspired by the more popular CryptoPunks collection. 

This collection consists of 10,000 NFTs registered on the Tron blockchain. Tpunk #3442, a rare joker avatar, is the most valuable of the lot, as it was sold for $10.5 million to the founder of Tron, Justin Sun. 

8. CryptoPunk #4156 – $10.26 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

This NFT is one of the super rare Ape Punks – 24 punks in total from a collection of 10,000 NFTs. It was owned and sold by popular NFT personality and namesake, Punk4156. And this NFT sale, even though it isn’t the most expensive, made quite the mark on the CryptoPunk ecosystem.

CryptoPunk #4156 was sold to an anonymous NFT collector for 2,500 ETH – more than $10 million at the time of sale. This immense selling value can be credited to the rarity of this particular collectable and the timing of the sale.

9. CryptoPunk #5577 – $7.7 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

This NFT is an Ape Punk wearing a cowboy hat. It is 1 of 24 Ape Punks and 142 cowboy-hat-wearing Punks. Thanks to the increasing popularity of this art form in the NFT space, the sale of #5577 got a mouth-watering backing of 2,501 ETH ( approximately $7.7 million at that time).

10. CryptoPunk #3100 – $7.58 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

CryptoPunk #3100 is another Alien Punk on this list of the most expensive NFTs ever sold. Considering how limited the punk avatars donning headbands are, it is easy to see why anyone would be willing to splash $7.58 million dollars (4,200 ETH) on this NFT.

Currently, CryptoPunk #3100 is up for sale at a staggering price of $90.5 million. If the owner eventually finds a buyer at this price, then this NFT will become the most expensive piece from the collection and the second most-valuable digital art ever.

11. CryptoPunk #7804 – $7.57 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

CryptoPunk #7804 is one of the most expensive NFTs ever sold, with a price tag of 4,200 ETH. Considering that this NFT is one of the highly-coveted alien punks, its $7.67 million price tag is justified. It was purchased by an NFT collector named Perrugia – an identity speculated to be owned by notable NFT investor, Robert Leshner.

Besides being an alien punk, Punk #7804 has some other unique characteristics; it smokes a pipe, wears a hat, and dons a pair of sunglasses. These features make the NFT incredibly rare; hence its lofty price in the market.

12. Ringers #109 – $7.1 million

Collection: Art Blocks – Dmitri Cherniak

Ringers is one of the most significant NFT projects to come out of the largely successful 2021 NFT bull-run. It is, in fact, one of the most prominent Art Blocks curated collections around.

Adored for its sophistication as a piece of generative art, Ringers #109 was able to command a whopping sum of $7.1 million (2100 ETH) back in October 2021, sending a powerful statement about the integrity of the Art Block.

13. Right-click and Save As guy – $7 million

Artist: XCOPY

Minted as far back as December 2018, XCOPY’s ‘Right-click and Save AS Guy’ is one of the most iconic pieces in the NFT ecosystem today. It was created to send a message to the apathetic public on how non-fungible tokens work. Specifically, the NFT name mocks non-NFT users who claim that they can save an image (artwork) on their device rather than splashing millions of dollars on it.

There is only one edition of this NFT, and it was sold on SuperRare for 1,600 ETH (the equivalent of $7.09 million at that time). ‘Right-click and Save As Guy’ is a GIF portrait and was purchased by NFT trader, Cozomo de’ Medici.

14. Token 6 – $6.9 million

Collection: Series 0: Synth Poems – Deafbeef

This NFT by Deafbeef is part of a fascinating generative audiovisual art collection. The “Synth Poems” are stored entirely on-chain, and are inspired the sounds of analog synthesizers. There is nothing quite like it. So, seeing someone pay 2,275 ETH (about $6.9 million) for this piece came as no surprise. 

15. CryptoPunk #8857- $6.64 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

Zombie Punks are some of the most popular NFTs from the CryptoPunk collection and in the entire NFT ecosystem. So, it is no surprise that the Zombie CryptoPunks made it to the list of most expensive NFTs. CryptoPunk #8857, a Zombie Punk with an interesting hairstyle and 3D glasses, was sold for 2000 ETH ($6.64 million) as part of a series of sales that occurred throughout the summer and fall of 2021. 

16. Crossroads – $6.6 million

Artist: Beeple

‘Crossroads’ is another one of Beeple’s digital artworks to make it to this list – and it does so with an enormous price tag of $6.6 million (4,400 ETH). This NFT is a cartoonish representation of former American president, Donald Trump, designed to reflect the political situation during the US 2020 presidential election.

‘Crossroads’ is a perfect example of the anti-Trump imagery that was gaining momentum amongst NFT artists at the time.

Fun fact: Beeple had created an alternate version just in case Donald Trump won the presidential race.

17. Ross Ulbricht Genesis Collection – $6.28 million

Artist: Rose Ulbricht

This NFT art is singly known as “Perspective,” and it has a fascinating backstory. It is an amazing work of art hand-drawn by Ross Ulbricht during his time in jail and is a part of the artist’s 10-piece series, the ‘Genesis Collection’.

The Genesis Collection was sold as a single NFT via the KSPEC protocol for 1,446 ETH (about $6.28 million at that time). While a percentage of the sale proceeds has been donated to help relieve the challenges of incarcerated people and their families, the remaining was put towards Ulbricht’s legal defence.

18. All Time High in the City – $6.19 million

Artist: XCOPY

‘All Time High in the City’ is a piece of art that embodies XCOPY’s style and artistry. The animated artwork features a grim, hooded figure ferrying a man across river Styx. And, in January 2022, it was sold to rarecollector3000 for 1,630 ETH (around $6.19 million).

19. A Coin for the Ferryman – $6.02 million

Artist: XCOPY

This NFT is another one of XCOPY’s fascinating artwork, which sold for $6.02 million (1330 ETH) in November 2021. Just like the artist’s other high-value pieces, ‘A Coin for the Ferryman’ has abstract and dystopian connotations. The NFT art is also one of XCOPY’s most significant artworks, as it can be traced back to the early days of the artist’s career.

The first time ‘A Coin for the Ferryman’ changed hands – or wallets – was in 2018, when it was sold for $139. And it was owned by this buyer until it was resold in 2021. It is worth noting that the NFT’s second sale somewhat renewed public trust in the long-term value of one-of-one NFTs.

20. Ocean Front – $6 million

Artist: Beeple

Beeple appearing on this list once again should speak volumes about his artistry. Ocean Front, for instance, is another of his iconic pieces that sends a message about the climate issues gripping the world. So, one could argue that its $6 million price tag is worth it.

Ocean Front was purchased by the founder of Tron Foundation, Justin Sun. The proceeds from the sale were donated to the Open Earth Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to combating global warming and climate change.

21. Ringers #879 – $5.66 million

Collection: Art Blocks – Dmitri Cherniak

Ringers #879, otherwise known as the ‘goose ringer’ is a one-of-a-kind NFT created by Dmitri Cherniak. This piece is a part of the artist’s ground-breaking generative project, and it was bought by Three Arrows Capital – a Singapore-based crypto investment company – for 1,800 ETH ( around $5.66 million at the time).

It’s easy to see why anyone would pay such amount for Ringers #879. After all, investing in a Ringers NFT is considered a power move and a bet on the potential of generative NFT art due to its significance as one of the prominent collections from the generative art platform Art Blocks Curated. 

22. Mega Mutant Serum – $5.66 million

Collection: Mutant Ape Yacht Club

The Mega Mutant Serum is a piece from the Bored Ape Chemistry Club – a collection of 10,000 Mutant Serum NFTs. In a record-breaking sale, the NFT was bought for 1,542.07 ETH (roughly equivalent to 5.66 million at the time of sale) by Deepak Thapliyal, CEO of Chain. 

23. CryptoPunk #5217 – $5.47 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

Punk #5217 is one of the 24 Ape Punks in the CryptoPunk collection. It dons a red knitted cap and a gold chain, which are rare attributes to find in other Punks. These, however, are desirable traits NFT collectors look for. So, it makes sense that $5.4 million (2,250 ETH) was paid for its purchase in July 2021.

24. World Wide Web source code – $5.43 million

Artist: Tim Berners-Lee

The World Wide Web (WWW) is considered the most significant invention in recent times. Thanks to the source code written by Tim Berners- Lee, the world can now access information more rapidly than ever via the internet and WWW.

In 2021, this WWW source code was put up for sale in the form of an NFT at Sotheby’s. It was found that the NFT was officially minted by Berners-Lee – the WWW inventor. And this fascinating piece later sold for a whopping sum of $5.43 million. 

25. Stay Free – $5.4 million

Artist: Edward Snowden

This piece is an illustration of National Security Agency whistle-blower Edward Snowden. It depicts the court documents linked to the moment-defining court ruling that the NSA’s mass surveillance was against the law. The NFT was sold to PleasrDAO for 2,224 ETH (around $5.4 million).

Proceeds from this NFT sale went towards the Freedom of the Press Foundation – a non-profit organization fighting for the world’s freedom of speech.

26. CryptoPunk #7252 – $5.34 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

CryptoPunk #7252 is one of the super rare Zombie Punks. It features red eyes, wild red hair, a gold earring, and a chinstrap. Although this NFT was initially bought for the price of $2.5 million, it was resold in August 2021 for 1,600 ETH (approximately $5.34 million)

27. CryptoPunk #6275 – $5.14 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

Punk #6275 is another one of the rare Zombie CryptoPunks. It dons a dark mohawk, red eyes, and shadow beard. This NFT was sold for 1,319 ETH (equivalent to $5.14 million) in September 2021.

28. CryptoPunk #2924 – $4.45 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

This NFT is one of the rare Ape Punks, but with an extremely unique feature – a hoodie. Although it recently changed wallets in November 2020 at a price of 150 ETH, Punk #2924 was resold by the owner and NFT collector speedphrase for a staggering 3,300 ETH (approximately $4.5 million). It is the 38th rarest of the entire 10,000-NFT collection. So, it is no surprise that it could command such a high sale price.

29. CryptoPunk #2338 – $4.38 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

CryptoPunks is one of the most valuable NFT projects in the market today. This worth is plainly exhibited in the sale of Punk #2338 – one of the incredibly rare Punk Zombies. It was sold for 1,500 ETH (around $4.38 million at the time).

30. CryptoPunk #6275 (Again) – $3.9 million

Collection: CryptoPunks – Larva Labs

This is the second time this NFT will be appearing on this list, and it does so with another hefty – albeit lesser – price tag. In 2021, Pranksy, a well-known NFT collector, paid 1,000 ETH (around $3.9 million) for Punk #6275 eight hours after it was listed, and it was later sold for $5.14 million.

31. Mega Mutant Serum – $3.77 million

Collection: Mutant Ape Yacht Club

This NFT is from the highly-coveted Mega Mutant Serum collection, and it was sold for 999 WETH (approximately $3.77 million). 

Conclusion

Above is a list of some of the most expensive non-fungible tokens ever sold. This compilation is a testament to the fact that investing in NFTs is one of most promising ventures in the crypto world. And, with the continuous growth and increasing popularity of the digital assets, one can easily predict the addition of more valuable NFT sales to this list in the near future.