In an exciting development for the world of digital art, Sotheby’s will be auctioning five rare physical versions of CryptoPunks this June. Out of the 10,000 CryptoPunks created, only 24 were released as physical prints, each one signed by John Watkinson, co-creator of the iconic NFT collection. These five prints will be offered in a standalone sale from June 24 to July 1, marking a significant moment in the convergence of digital and physical art.
CryptoPunks, created by Matt Hall and John Watkinson in 2017, are widely recognized as one of the first NFT projects and played a pivotal role in sparking the Crypto-Art movement. Initially given away for free, except for a small transaction fee, CryptoPunks quickly became a phenomenon. In June 2021, Alien Punk #7523 sold for a staggering $11.8 million at Sotheby’s, setting a record for the highest price ever paid for a single CryptoPunk. This NFT was purchased by Shalom Meckenzie, the largest shareholder of DraftKings.
The 24 signed prints were created at the beginning of the CryptoPunks project and represent less than 0.25% of the total CryptoPunks ever made. Each print, along with its digital counterpart, features distinctive characteristics, such as ‘black lipstick’, ‘green eye shadow’, ‘crazy hair’, and ‘luxurious beard’. The five Punks available in this auction—#6347, #770, #872, #1819, and #2830—are particularly unique and each print will come with a wax-sealed envelope containing a paper wallet, providing access to the corresponding Ethereum-based token.
Michael Bouhanna, Sotheby’s specialist, commented on the appeal of CryptoPunks, stating that they embody the anti-establishment spirit of the early blockchain movement and were inspired by the rebellious punk culture of 1970s London. The collection’s eccentric nature has captivated not only crypto enthusiasts but also traditional art lovers. This upcoming auction represents a fusion of digital and traditional art, with the rare prints adding a tangible dimension to the iconic digital pieces.
These five CryptoPunks were selected by Swiss curator and digital art expert, Georg Bak, from private collections. Two of them were previously displayed at Larva Labs’ inaugural exhibition. Bak was also the first to exhibit a collection of CryptoPunk prints at the Perfect & Priceless: Value Systems on the Blockchain exhibition at Kate Vass Galerie in 2018.
Reflecting on the CryptoPunk movement, Bak drew comparisons to revolutionary artists from history, such as Marcel Duchamp, whose Fountain challenged the art establishment in 1917. According to Bak, the CryptoPunks, like Duchamp’s work, have played a significant role in bringing NFTs to a global stage and continue to influence the evolving art world.
This auction will offer a rare opportunity for collectors to own a piece of digital art history and marks another milestone in the ongoing rise of NFTs in the traditional art market.
