Bitcoin Forum

I propose we spread the word about Bitcoin by giving away physical key pairs of the smallest denomination we can. Tell folks that someday it may be worth a lot, perhaps enough to retire on. We can include the Bitcoin.org website, but explain that the amount given is potential worth only and not worth anything at the moment. It's like a lottery ticket that has a high probability of winning someday.

Let's see if I can take your idea to the nth degree.

Person 1 is given a free lottery ticket. But he would like a second one, too. Solution: Bring me 2 people who want a free lottery ticket and I will give you a second one free. And if those 2 new people get at least 2 more new people, then you get a 3rd ticket. No max on the downline.

Yes, it structured like your typical MLM, but no purchase(s) required. Here's the secret: This system can easily be monetized for anybody wanting to do this.

That's a good idea. Kinda like the bitcoin faucet, only with offline notes.

Did you figure out how to monetized it, possibly for a 6-7 figure yearly income? Here's the beauty of my idea. I can share the idea, for free, with the hope of somebody else doing it, and I, as well as everybody else who holds Bitcoin, profit. There's no way to lose, with the exception of not doing the idea.

Interested?

I already have a business plan with Bitcoin, but any pm is in strictest confidence. I am more interested in awareness now because I can do this cheap. If you have a MLM plan, I'm sure a lot of people would be interested. Is it perhaps something that can be done as an open source project and developed further?

It's not an MLM, in the strict sense of the word. Just structured like one, and perfectly legal. There's no product or service to sell or buy, and no membership fees.

One base unit is a very small amount.

Here's what about half of 75,000 people look like:

http://www.bradblog.com/Images/ObamaInPortland_wide_051808.jpg

Now multiply that by 10, then multiply that by 10.

If every person alive in New York City (8 million) gave you one, and the value of Bitcoin returned to it's record high, you still wouldn't have enough to buy a tall latte.

Innumeracy isn't the issue. It's the public's ignorance of Bitcoin itself.

True, at the lowest base unit. But what if we move it up a few notches? Granted, at today's exchange rate, it'll still not be worth much even at Bitcoin's historical high. But the idea presented in the OP is to get more people involved with Bitcoin. A vested interest, if you will. Still a chicken and egg dilemma, but I guess we need to start somewhere. Increase the customer base, and businesses may be more prone to get on board, thus bringing in more users. Rinse, then repeat.

Update: I printed a couple dozen 100K Satoshi notes. They are simply bitaddress.org (http://bitaddress.org) printouts as small strips of paper. I added 0.01 BTC value to each and folded them in half with a staple. On the other side it says the value 100K Satoshis and the www.bitcoin.org (http://www.bitcoin.org) website on the reverse. I am just handing them out to people I know and anyone that seems interested. Hopefully this "physical bitcoin faucet" idea will garner interest. It takes a little time to make them by hand, but doesn't cost hardly anything. I tell them to hold onto them someplace safe and "someday when [they] know what they are they may be valuable." It's a good conversation starter.

Here's a pic. It's very basic. It would be nice if someone could design something as simple as this as a give away that looks a little better.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6422687177_45e809118e.jpg

Good and simple, I like it ;D

What I really like about this idea is that ANYONE with access to a few BTC, the internet (to get to https://www.bitaddress.org) and a printer can do this.  Very low tech and low cost.  I have been giving away 1 BTC physical coins to friends and family and they cost almost 2 BTC each.  For the cost of one coin I can give away 200 of these to total strangers (I am running out of friends and family that still want to hear about Bitcoins).

This is a great idea! I like how you labelled it as 100K Satoshis.

I think there are some synergies between this thread and another one I started:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=51978.0

The Pocket Paper Wallet (PPW) could be printed with a really nice design, with or without denomination. The PPW could be used as a gift card, that is essentially what your One Satoshi Project boils down to...  home made gift cards. The PPW could display the bitcoin.org URL and inside there could be instructions on how to redeem at MtGox.

Thoughts?

The easiest way to redeem one of these accounts into an electronic wallet or online account is not Mt Gox (who requires all sorts of ID etc. to set up an account) just open a https://www.strongcoin.com account and then import the private key.  Done.

Just remember that there is a 1% fee ;)

I will probably make something like this, but then in one of the "Strip of paper" formats:

http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2010/10/22/b96ff06e-31f7-4bf7-b9d2-a437a6c02b48.jpg

And then put them all over my university campus.

There could be two sets of instructions (with radio button choices) to pick strongcoin or mtgox.
Does mtgox require ID? I don't remember them requiring that before, is that new? Assuming mtgox is still easy to sign up with then nothing brings value to the bitcoin like being on mtgox and seeing it's value first hand.

They were fine with me sending them deposits of dollars or BTC.  I could sell BTC and buy BTC.  But then they made me send them color photocopies of my driver's license and/or passport before I could remove any money or BTC from the account.

Maybe they were just picking on me and they do not do this to others?  Anyone else?

I've heard this a lot lately, so not just you. 

This is a good idea, I'll have to try it.

+1

I'm going to design another one to throw into tip jars. I need to come up with something eye catching so they don't just throw it away and actually read it. Any ideas?

First thing that comes to mind to keep it from getting thrown away, is to make a business card sized design, print "Redeemable for X Satoshi" in a large size on one side, and print it on nice, heavy card stock.

I suppose I should put a scratch off sticker over the private key to prevent someone from photographing it. Only a portion needs to be covered.

I love this idea! I think I'll do it myself. Just to get things straight, this is how I think it goes:
1. I generate a key/address combo with bitaddress.org.
2. I print it out.
3. I send one satoshi to the address.
4. I give it to somebody.
5. Said person goes on StrongCoin and imports the private key.
6. They get the satoshi.

Right?

Except you should probably give them at least one penny don't you think?  Or maybe, if you are really rich, give each person a nickle or a dime ;)

One satoshi is such a small amount of money it is not worth anyting (yet).

One penny...right now, that would be about 0.0017 BTC (done in head, might be wrong.) I suppose 0.001 BTC wouldn't be too bad (I like the ending in 1 thing.)

Yea,  right now 0.01 is about a nickle, 0.001 is about half a penny - give or take - depends on the exchange and when you look at it ...

Just had an idea. These little strips of paper can only hold so much while still looking acceptable. Problem is, your average Joe isn't going to know right away what to do with one of these paper strips and may disregard it altogether because of that. So I thought we should set up a site where we give instructions in layman's terms on how to "redeem" them (perhaps a .bit domain!)

Anyone on board with this?

I would vote against using a .bit domain as that adds an whole new layer of pain for a newbie.  A short utube video and add the URL to the video to your paper.

Sounds good. I'd use bit.ly to shorten it as well.
Any volunteers? I will if nobody else is interested, but I'd prefer a more respected member of the community.

This guy just did a video to show how to redeem physical BTC.  Maybe we could convince him to do a video for this project as well:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=41892.msg696281#msg696281

Check out his video.  This is just the first pass.  From the thread you can see there are some suggestions and there will probably be a second pass on it before it is done.

How about we actually create worth and value.. not just tell people a story and try to convince them to believe it. 
I have and idea that will create Value for people in so many ways that exchange will take on a whole new meaning.  We all want the means to do whatever it is we are on (ftp://on) this planet to do.  We are exchanging energy and want something back in return.  There is so much value in exchanging energy that It can not be shared here alone, but it will be shared over the time to come.  Bitcoin and the Satoshi idea is genius, in that it opens the door to creating value again.  It allows the people to have their own abiliity to move and adjust and discover and enjoy life.  It takes the power away from those who have held a SINGLE Unit over our heads and a damn good campaign to maintain it.  It stops all that DEAD in its tracks ..and many will say REST in Peace for Peace may truly begin here.  Peace may begin when it does not matter what you have it matters what you do.  That value is in Action and Action is freedom and freedom can not be exchanged.  YET it currently is. So what if we take these points and make systems that support a world that is free to learn, heal, be well, and use will?  What if we create a world where money is not the root of anything but a means to a ends.. Right now we have some very simple needs as a species.  We need to get our environments under control.  We need to stop the violence.  We need to feed everyone consistently.  We have to start figuring out just how many things are out of control right now.  I have found 90 Issues and 90 Solutions. I am currently the only actually doing the research for them.  I know that there are actions that just need people willing to step forward with their skill sets.  That there is immense value in connecting those dots. People and actions.  I see this as holding more than anything I can hand you or you can hand me.  I see that just as a means that works in different circumstances to keep us true to our work, products and services.  I understand that the world has become accustomed to this way of life.  I see that today there is more value in the amount of money you have and can show proof of than any other thing that is currently happening on the planet.  And because of that, many of us stay glued to the scene.  I wonder at what cost.. and how much lost value we see regularly.. Lost time, lost investment, lost assets.. we lose relationships, and friendships and who countries are at war over .. goods, land, water, resources, currencies... and so many other things that I would not be able to list it.

So let me sum up this rather long thought... We all want to see these coins do good (and there are so many to choose from) and all we need to do to do that is exchange for real things.  So I propose we offer our coins in exchange for REAL things.  Instead of telling people invest in bitcoin so you can retire when its worth X.. Get them involved in their lives with your bitcoin services.  A service that actually helps them with real life things, like preparing to retire or getting healthy.  What does everyone need to retire happily?  Its going to be different for everyone right?  Think about how many jobs this creates.. Work creates value and if its bitcoin or some other coin when all the bit coin are out, that is being exchanged then It is worth something.

As a follow up since this thread has been necro'd, there were at least a handful of people that got interested in Bitcoin a year or two later. Probably most of the paper wallets ended up in the trash, but who knows?

guess people won't be happy to know they received a huge stash of nothingness in their hands and win hate btc only because of this