Did you know that in 2010, a website called "Bitcoin Faucet" gave away 5 bitcoins for simply solving a captcha? At the time, bitcoin was a new and largely unknown digital currency, and this was one way to introduce it to early adopters.
Fast forward to 2024, and the value of those 5 bitcoins has skyrocketed to around $300,000. What once seemed like small change has turned into a significant fortune, highlighting the unpredictable rise of cryptocurrency.
This example shows how early adoption of technology can have massive payoffs. Bitcoin's journey from giveaways to becoming a major financial asset illustrates the potential power of digital currencies.
In 1959, Jacques Plante was struck in the face by a puck early in a game. He left the ice to receive medical attention, then returned wearing a mask. This made him the first NHL goaltender to normalize wearing a mask during a game.
The world's first ' Immaterial' sculpture sold for $17,000 (€15,000) in Europe. Italian artist Salvatore Garau sold an invisible sculpture for $17,000 providing the buyer with a certificate of authenticity to confirm its existence. (2021)
The 67-year-old artist Salvatore Garau sold an "immaterial sculpture" - which is to say that it doesn't exist. The 'lucky' buyer went home with a certificate of authenticity and a set of instructions: the work, per Garau, must be exhibited in a private house in a roughly five-by-five-foot space free of obstruction.
Sylvester Stallone was so broke that he sold his wife's jewelry, became homeless, and sold his dog for $25. After writing Rocky, despite his financial struggles, he turned down $125,000 and two more offers because they didn't let him star. Eventually, a studio gave him $35,000 for the script and let him star.