The high-value world of NFT collecting witnessed a notable transaction yesterday when CryptoPunk #3100, one of only nine ultra-rare Alien Punks, changed hands for 4,000 ETH (approximately $6.1 million). While impressive on its own, this sale represents a significant financial setback for the seller, who purchased the same digital asset for 4,500 ETH (worth $16 million) in March 2024. The 500 ETH difference, combined with Ethereum’s 57% value decline over the past year, resulted in a staggering $10 million loss on the investment.
This particular CryptoPunk has now made the collection’s top sales leaderboard three separate times, having previously sold for $7.58 million before its $16.03 million peak. The transaction was reportedly facilitated by crypto art brokerage Fountain through a private offer on the CryptoPunks marketplace. While the identities of both buyer and seller remain anonymous, blockchain explorers indicate the purchasing wallet was funded through oinbase">Coinbase Prime 2, suggesting possible institutional involvement.
Despite this high-profile sale, the broader CryptoPunks collection has struggled to maintain its previous valuations. The collection’s floor price has dropped 44% in just the last 90 days to approximately $64,700—a dramatic decline from its all-time high of over $400,000 in November 2021. Originally free to claim when created by Larva Labs in 2017, CryptoPunks remain the most prestigious profile picture NFT collection, though the IP rights were acquired by Yuga Labs (creators of Bored Ape Yacht Club) in 2022.
