10. CryptoPunk #7804: $7.56 million (4200 ETH)

Sale details: CryptoPunk #7804 was one of two major alien Punk sales to happen on March 11, 2021. Purchased for the equivalent of $7.5 million at the time, the 4,200 ETH price tag would amount to nearly $17 million at 2021 year-end.

Why it’s valuable: Punk #7804 has some rare traits, including being one of only nine aliens in existence. But the significance of this purchase goes far beyond the price. Almost immediately after the Punk changed hands, we witnessed the birth of NFT collector and social media influencer Peruggia (who has been heavily speculated to be the alternate account of prominent investor Robert Leshner).

9. CryptoPunk #3100: $7.57 million (4200 ETH)

Sale details: The second major Punk sale to happen on March 11, 2021, was CryptoPunk #3100. This also happened to be the last on-chain alien Punk sale of 2021. We wouldn’t see another change hands till the Sotheby’s auction of CryptoPunk #7523 (also on this list).

Why it’s valuable: CryptoPunk #3100 is one of nine aliens in existence, making it an obviously influential and rare Punk. Similar to #8857 though, no one came forward to give this high-profile NFT a personality via social media.

8. CryptoPunk #5577: $7.7 million (2501 ETH)

Sale details: This cowboy-hat-wearing punk sold in February 2022 for 2,500 ETH. It is believed to have been purchased by Robert Leshner, CEO of Compound Finance, who Tweeted an enthusiastic “Yeehaw” after the sale.

Why it’s valuable: It’s one of 24 Ape punks, and one of 142 with cowboy hats. As Ape Punks have continued to rise in popularity among the Bored Ape-dominated NFT market, it’s unlikely we’ll see many high-profile trades like #5577 for some time.

7. CryptoPunk #4156: $10.2 million (2500 ETH)

Sale details: On December 9, 2021, CryptoPunk #4156 sold for $10.2 million.

Why it’s valuable: Although CryptoPunk #4156 wasn’t the highest selling NFT from the CryptoPunk family, it was undoubtedly the most famous NFT trade for a Punk in 2021. That’s because bandana ape #4156 had become synonymous with the personality of prominent NFT influencer and builder Punk4156. As a result, when the sales happened, it felt like the end of an era.

The sale also marked a significant turning point in the CryptoPunk ecosystem. As the legendary Larva Labs project had long been regarded as one of the most important NFT collections in existence, issues surrounding Larva Labs’ copyright policies — which Punk4156 has taken big issue with — were the reason behind both this significant trade and declining Punk prices towards the end of the year.

6. Tpunk #3442: $10.5 million (120 million TRX)

Sale details: This rare “Joker” Tpunk was purchased by TRON founder Justin Sun in August 2021. Sun is well-versed in the NFT space. He was an active bidder on Beeple’s Everydays: the First 5,000 Days, but he was outbid by $250,000 at the last minute.

Why it’s valuable: In the NFT space, it often seems that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. To this end, it’s no surprise that the Tpunks NFT collection was inspired by — you guessed it — the famous NFT collection known as CryptoPunks. Consisting of 10,000 avatars on the Tron blockchain, as far as derivatives go, Tpunks is definitely in the top tier.

5. CryptoPunk #7523: $11.7 million (4700 ETH)

Sale details: Known to many as the “COVID Alien” due to its prominent facemask trait, CryptoPunk #7523 was the largest punk sale of 2021. It’s important to note that the blockchain does not reflect this prominent sale, as it occurred as part of Sotheby’s Natively Digital auction in June.

Why it’s valuable: The original minter of #7523, Straybits, and the Punk’s second-ever collector, Sillytuna (who supplied it for auction), are both prominent parts of the NFT community. As a result, the sale was seen as a huge win for the NFT ecosystem and also as a major push towards mainstream NFT adoption.

4. CryptoPunk #5822: $23.7 million (8000 ETH)

Sale details: The most expensive CryptoPunk ever sold is punk #5822. The alien-style punk featuring a blue bandana sold for $23 million on February 12, 2022 — more than double the cost of the next highest-grossing punk. The buyer is the CEO of Chain, Deepak Thapliyal. He tweeted an image of his punk after the purchase. It came close to being the highest selling NFT at the time of sale, but it missed the mark by just a few million.

Why it’s valuable: Because it’s one of only nine aliens in the collection, it was bound to sell at a high price.

3. Beeple, Human One: $28.9 million (4700 ETH)

Sale details: Beeple’s HUMAN ONE sold for $28.9 million on November 9, 2021. It was auctioned off as part of Christie’s 21st Century Evening Sale.

Why it’s valuable: HUMAN ONE is an NFT like no other. As the first-ever physical piece from the acclaimed artist, both the NFT and the electronic sculpture went up to auction as a single lot. Considering the massive sale of Beeple’s Everydays (also on this list), many were unsure what this new, constantly-evolving digital masterpiece would fetch at auction. Yet, as Christie’s has continued to help legitimize NFTs as true works of art, it’s no wonder that Beeple’s HUMAN ONE would be second only to Beeple himself in 2021.

2. Julian Assange and Pak, Clock: $52.7 million (16953 ETH)

Sale details: In February of 2022, Julian Assange and Pak’s Clock NFT became the second-most expensive single NFT ever sold. The NFT depicts a timer that counts the number of days Assange has spent in prison. It was curated as part of Pak and Assange’s Censored collection, which also featured a dynamic open edition.

Why it’s valuable: Pak has remained anonymous throughout their entire career, while simultaneously becoming one of the highest-grossing living artists. They took to Twitter shortly after the auction closed, labeling the endeavor “a drop with no creator, developer, platform, middlemen share,” that is “from people, for the people.” The piece was purchased by AssangeDAO, an organization whose primary mission is to fight for the freedom of the WikiLeaks founder.

1. Beeple, Everydays: The First 5000 Days – $69.3 million (38525 ETH)

Sale details: The single most famous NFT sale (and the most expensive NFT sale) in 2021 was Beeple’s Everydays: The First 5000 Days for $69.3 million.

Why it’s valuable: Not only was this the most expensive NFT sale ever, but the event created a snowball effect throughout mainstream media, and brought the term “NFT” into households around the world. Before Christie’s decided to take a chance on NFTs via its Online Auction, the act of minting, collecting, and trading NFTs was seen as niche at best. But after Beeple secured the biggest bag in all of NFTs, it was clear — even to Saturday Night Live — that the time of NFTs had arrived.

Source- https://nftnow.com/features/most-expensive-nft-sales/