Key Takeaways
- Ross Ulbricht's auction raised nearly $1.3 million in Bitcoin from personal items and artwork.
- His prison ID card sold for 5.5 BTC after a 11 BTC bid went unpaid.
- The auction was conducted by Scarce City and accepts only Bitcoin payments.
Ross Ulbricht, founder of the Silk Road marketplace, raised nearly $1.3 million in Bitcoin through an auction of personal belongings and prison-era artwork following his pardon by former President Trump earlier this year.
Auction details
The auction, hosted by Bitcoin goods marketplace Scarce City, included items from before and during Ulbricht’s incarceration.
Notable pieces included his final prison ID card, which shows him smiling, despite the setting.
Ulbricht wrote on the item’s listing page:
The guard tried to get me to stop smiling… but my joy comes from within.
Notable sales
The ID card initially drew a top bid of 11 BTC—worth over $1.1 million—but the bidder failed to complete the payment.
The second-highest bidder, “flowtostock,” won the item for 5.5 BTC, or about $575,000.
They also purchased two additional ID cards.
Additional items
Other auction items included Ulbricht’s pre-arrest sleeping bag, backpack, and drum, as well as prison objects like a lock, notebook, and clothing.
Several of his paintings were also sold, including one titled Archway, created in collaboration with a fellow inmate known as “Omega.”
The painting fetched 1.01 BTC.
Ulbricht’s statement
Ulbricht wrote on the auction page:
I’ve decided to auction some personal items from before my arrest and during my time in prison. I don’t need the reminders and I’m sure some of you will love to have them.
Conclusion of bidding
Bidding concludes on June 2, with all payments made exclusively in Bitcoin.
