Crypto Twitter recently found itself pondering the possibility that the first-ever real-world purchase made with Bitcoin might not have been for pizza, but instead for a JPEG image. The debate ignited on May 14 when independent developer and Bitcoin advocate Udi Wertheimer shared a screenshot allegedly showing a user named Sabunir trying to sell a picture for 500 BTC back in early 2010 on Bitcoin Forum Bitcointalk.
The screenshot, dated January 24, 2010, indicates that this potential transaction predates the notorious Bitcoin Pizza Day by four months, when Bitcoin developer Laszlo Hanyecz paid a staggering 10,000 BTC for two pizzas. Even the mysterious Bitcoin founder, Satoshi Nakamoto, appears to have played a role in facilitating the sale.
However, there is some skepticism regarding the authenticity of this claim. Crypto investor and former professional poker player Mike McDonald points to another screenshot suggesting that the 500 BTC may have been a donation instead, meaning the JPEG image was never actually “sold.”
Wertheimer has since admitted that his initial tweet may have been inaccurate. While Sabunir did indeed list a JPEG for sale at the price of 500 BTC and received that amount in their address a month later, Wertheimer concedes that “it’s possible that the 500 BTC were sent as a donation for a different interaction” and that the sale of the JPEG never actually transpired. Unless Sabunir can provide in-person confirmation, the reason behind this 500 BTC transfer remains uncertain.
The rumor has emerged amid the ongoing Bitcoin Ordinals phenomenon, which has recorded over 6.1 million images, videos, and tokens — powered by the BRC-20 token standard — minted on the Bitcoin blockchain. Wertheimer, a strong supporter of Bitcoin NFTs since the launch of the Ordinals protocol on January 21 this year, aims to attract a new generation of NFT enthusiasts to Bitcoin through an Ordinals project known as Taproot Wizards.
Inspired by the groundbreaking Taproot soft fork, Taproot Wizards enables users to inscribe new pieces of data on the Bitcoin blockchain. With so much attention currently focused on the exciting potential of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), it’s only natural that discussions surrounding the first-ever Bitcoin purchase and the legitimacy of JPEG art sales continue to generate interest in the fast-paced world of cryptocurrencies.
Source: Cointelegraph
