Ha! I was just about to post "AAAAND ITS GONE" myself.

Thanks for playing in the experiment.

Here is a list of all 20 codes for those who want to solve it themselves:

01-a941400df0947bfc933a11f784bda14291929ee01412e66cba6d191e27a05e2cbf5b61017cfdded70ab52e929a0056cc95bb99
02-3323ab539c83a7e5a8af9c6f0ddbfaffa01e9c8f4635b8c73eea01fc415d1328df2954d87bbfa4ce943ad87de4cb9859721cb0
03-c568f80779427c8a5cd19fe85d4f0f96108a7cf7d564ad18f3cf7ed89da07c3d2d9fae1bfd0fd642e8e351e3e0ee2e94f6e495
04-7729dd0455d6b6c119738e48f08580c80c4e5a986fce97b42b10a934ecd12eb13f2eeae4d3e76a6b7e1f5a60d659e97f4223d6
05-6047f73a9bcbc53d55a36b7b73109827e137dca5f8969201706ae89f078175d4868556228a588e78b83587c5f5b715b8dd36b3
06-3844f5ab9ac5ed2926f1e8127fb4b0ec850cc6f9ebe0826a8d308d35ea7349db508423513920844fa89f4f3deed8da1730f8b9
07-118de6a2a6e375c312d38bcfeaa0e9cef5585d19cbff72b6efba16f4a208cbb5eac634eba2cab6db37d66f4565c35b5b2c3dae
08-3c35852bd90ff4c1c53b24f832f640e015d3303301b0860120debbe2b2cdbfa4fe8ef75d370610a2373b0e511b877441bd27d5
09-31a6fad158716843cdb68b51b660dc3a62ab43fc6e24eab3f51af24298e3238b8e643072c5206049573fdc8c62f3a1e82b3fe1
10-21a8acc0f0e80427df7347fa01d7ea4f203630585d102cbd47311a0d6086ab06f0b3beca6f3545756cf07d296f2c49d8f1d960
11-a55bc223cf7f3bff589fcf3b678e4765289053f44a99cf914c631d88902d426109c36f494ae9b52a4e7eaabda30831caa73285
12-eebb5717f0011d0d3d81b3f791b371132090e29a75f9024cf595daccb2d49d071a93afde141aa2950f85034da3af9a41e760f3
13-c35a79b0d73572015602980b0d71766a53adce97fa31fa5fb977e3894e2dc498ddff3e65a4e148ed5a0b6ed9a825329f556031
14-88b5ee6edefcc0d10b7b50e25c711528b08ffa6ff07b5b945697fc243890830d2720636a76c28cb9ca8e2ad8f65e60b1e5b31e
15-462c0001e50282aed8bf43949e796b138a61c6f682f2ef2ee4867e92e791591a582f05efd56dac764155173511a1afa3dc6ead
16-6aac6767a3716ad9431630ea6f5b0ac9f23d1b31e47ca412818b9c5ad65b8aad36e9e3742f6d62304bc25ce78d12f0f0168b28
17-4ba790de0cc4221319e0b3b590ef6a822d33412adcd788ac76cd4845429e0099a2397deb1208f32e1de81564a5bf45332b5ec5
18-91fdfcd896a41c0830d8f8aeeb7c407e80402486c2330dc8f53983e35a46662cb5ca3c3fbc61d923ae4c9a32c8a588bcec9eab
19-609ea8a83dbffcdf39687a0dea944dcdb302bc3902b1ad33ef3b455b20276aeafc19bf92eac1cf9a16c20f5e663cf3e05e4161
20-c89a3c56dd28e19beadc29ef5068e5accbaeda611409ea5693629bfd1111b785a3f996890e10216204b91cac90eaa03ad01345

Day #6
Public Code:
06-3844f5ab9ac5ed2926f1e8127fb4b0ec850cc6f9ebe0826a8d308d35ea7349db508423513920844fa89f4f3deed8da1730f8b9

first person gets code #16:
https://privnote.com/n/kfogziaecunloxzw/#xfkfvxaswperkgeq

Here is the hash of code #14
d3b27193c6978e56c1ed6e50158b650042a7ec210e33e163cd41d9972d6a1aeb

There are now 12 codes out to solve the private key, only 10 are needed.

Day #5
Public Code:
05-6047f73a9bcbc53d55a36b7b73109827e137dca5f8969201706ae89f078175d4868556228a588e78b83587c5f5b715b8dd36b3

First person gets code #15:
https://privnote.com/n/wrxzyfhtfyqqxmtc/#mqjalcgiiqsqqspq

Here is the hash of code #13:
05e7ab952a3bc7ca1b20e0a63f5719f2c1188c5bc1560852a8ee3c48c57f88c2

As of today, there are enough codes out to solve the private key  of 1CstSe1raQUpJhEGAMgpjNEhu7QTsS7wMZ. (http://blockchain.info/address/1CstSe1raQUpJhEGAMgpjNEhu7QTsS7wMZ)

In.

While logged into yahoo, link in OP gave me an error. Had to type in league ID (599759) and password from the OP to get in.

No surprise, I bought the first code. To create interest, here is the code I received:

Day #4
Public Code:
04-7729dd0455d6b6c119738e48f08580c80c4e5a986fce97b42b10a934ecd12eb13f2eeae4d3e76a6b7e1f5a60d659e97f4223d6

First person gets code #14!
https://privnote.com/n/sgncnesnicjrbmck/#cfondxjnpzmfsqtq

Here is the hash of code #12
45313377d732a747b5f571ab6892b3fd41aa1922b6ea0eaf96f05144f631a8ed

Day #3
Public code
03-c568f80779427c8a5cd19fe85d4f0f96108a7cf7d564ad18f3cf7ed89da07c3d2d9fae1bfd0fd642e8e351e3e0ee2e94f6e495

First person gets code #13!
https://privnote.com/n/lnyxquavzsgpyqfv/#gluxmlttldyuyrtu

Here is the hash of code #11:
07137ce9a75b788bbfdcfc0f282fc8b0e4103acd74fb93fa444241b917298c2e

I am East Coast USA.

If you can sell a chance to win 2.0 BTC for 2.1 BTC, this might be a better game than the one pirate was playing.

These bets will be funneled to pirate to help him complete payouts

Day #2
Public code
02-3323ab539c83a7e5a8af9c6f0ddbfaffa01e9c8f4635b8c73eea01fc415d1328df2954d87bbfa4ce943ad87de4cb9859721cb0

First person gets code #12
https://privnote.com/n/jmpcizgtyugsfvbr/#esqptlxccihyjacj

This is unacceptable, we are back to where we were a week ago

Shamir's Secret Sharing Scheme Game. Win 2.00 BTC!

The private key to Bitcoin Address: 1CstSe1raQUpJhEGAMgpjNEhu7QTsS7wMZ is contained in a 10 of 20 secret sharing scheme (http://point-at-infinity.org/ssss/). Player needs 10 of the 20 secret codes to reveal the private key.

Each day at a random time, I will publicly post 1 of the 20 valid codes here in this thread, and will also post a self destructing message link with another code. The first one to click on the link will get the code.

This self-destructing message will contain:
1 of the 20 codes needed to reveal the private key [this is not one of the codes]
(i.e "01-53dd6b01848a691e50843b733ebb395658c4a4d12aa1e9b93a2120da39fcb197d74eaec8911fbf18ac0e7648d4c4e9db244707")
and the hash of this code for future reference.
("0c78c5f4881ef238c34d76383a10e9ec25cfa1f39f1e3eed93cbefd732dcf67e")

Whoever solves the 10 of 20 first will be able to redeem the contents! Of course, deals can be made.

RULES:
* This is a lying game. If you post in this thread or click on the link, you are playing the game. Lying is allowed. If you chose not to participate, you will not be lied to (scammed).
* If you were lucky to get a secret code, you can publicly post the code for free in this thread.
* You can sell/gift a secret code privately for as much as you want via PM/email/etc.
* You can sell/gift a secret code to multiple people.
* You can sell/gift a secret code you just bought from someone else.
* You can publicly post a secret code you just bought.
* You can sell/post *any* code, valid or not (i.e. lie).
* However, I, the moderator, can not lie or post fake codes or hashes. I can not sell codes or answer PM's. Please ask all questions for me in this thread.
* Moderator can not enforce any deals.
* Starting on day 3, I will post the hash of the secret code from 2 days ago, so players who obtained a code will know if it is valid. I calculate the hashes on my own computer, not online. So if you see the solution on-line, it wasn't from me.

Why am I doing this?
I am working on something. This is research.

DAY #1
Public code
01-a941400df0947bfc933a11f784bda14291929ee01412e66cba6d191e27a05e2cbf5b61017cfdded70ab52e929a0056cc95bb99

First person gets code #11:

https://privnote.com/n/kiheydiluklkzdbc/#izdhtgubfujvkmbm

The issue I have with 'bitcoin market cap' is that the inflation rate is known. We all know (generally) how many bitcoins there will be on any specific date in the future. When considering the market cap of bitcoin, I use 20m as a ballpark figure. $50/btc will be $1B cap and quite the milestone.

I am surprised that SatoshiDice took off -- people who are smart enough to understand cryptology and coding dice bots not understand the logical end of a martingale system?

congrats on the #1 hit. I'm sure the price increase has plenty to do with every successful application such as satoshi dice, and we all should be thankful.

Got it:

5HrGsm6TekRMjjB3MvLD9E8Sbe29EBseNcsGGXEQkhL3t3pfHaU

My point is that bitcoin in March of 2010 was thought of as an experiment. These coins were certainly mined on a CPU (Difficulty of 4).  People who generated a block didn't think about backing wallets, as the coins were worthless.

First seen march of 2010. Coins were under 5 cents back then. My guess is those coins / private key are gone.

Wasn't there a bug a few weeks ago that halted trading, and when resumed came back at a high of $9.70?

Start the rumor that $1B is trying to go through, and $100 coins are a reality.

I think it was an error - someone wanted to buy 1 billion coins, not pay 1 billion for a coin.

I think you are proving my point?

I'd rather PAY in an inflationary currency. Be it my employees or my groceries.