10 min left in Bitcoin Painting Auction! CoinDesk calls it #1 Bitcoin Art Piece

[bitcoincito]

7/20/14 UPDATE: 2 hours left in Bitcoin Painting Auction. Price: up from .0024 btc to 4.64 btc. Can't wait to put it in the hands of whoever the right person is. Remember, this is transaction #9 for Project Bitcoin (all information is below), and the artist gets half of whatever the final price is.

Additionally, Coindesk, recently called Last (Bitcoin) Supper the #1 piece of bitcoin art!

7/10/14 UPDATE: It's up for auction starting now: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=231280050208. Excited for it to find the right now. Never seen a more beautiful painting imbued with deeper meaning. Big thank you to the artist Youl!

7/11/14 UPDATE: I want to clarify two points: 1. the winner of the auction will obviously pay in bitcoin, as per the terms of Project Bitcoin and described in the auction, 2. Shipping is INTERNATIONAL. eBay defaulted to US shipping option and is not allowing me to change it. Again, you can see info about international shipping in the auction text.  

7/13/14 UPDATE: After 3 days, the bitcoin painting has 27 bids and is up to 1.7btc! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Last-Bitc0in-Supper-Huge-Original-Masterpiece-French-Artist-Youl-/231280050208



3/10/14 UPDATE: It was a disastrous eighth transaction in which I learned that the statue I had bought for one bitcoin wasn't what I believed it was. Luckily, lots of integrity from the seller. You can read the update here: http://www.projectbitcoin.com/1/post/2014/03/the-statue-blew-up-oh-well.html

2/19/14 UPDATE: My seventh transaction is complete. I have purchased an authentic solid bronze statue owned by Paul Revere from Michael S. out of Amsterdam. In the process, hopefully I've had the opportunity to ground Project Bitcoin in a little bit of history. While the blockchain and Bitcoin Protocol may be new, the ideals that strengthen it are far from new - people have been fighting for them for a long time. I will post the blog as an update as usual, but you can also see it here: http://www.projectbitcoin.com/1/post/2014/02/bitcoin-meets-paul-revere.html. If you are interested in buying the statue, just PM me or reply to this thread

2/3/14 UPDATE: My sixth transaction is complete. I have sold to .1 btc. 2012 silver round Casascius coins to BitcoinTalk user Domob for 1 bitcoin. This is a huge milestone in for the project. It took 23 days and 6 transactions to turn a $0.35 Peruvian coin into a bitcoin. In the process, I've had the opportunity to get to know and transact with amazing members of the bitcoin community from Peru, Brazil, the US (twice), England, and now Austria. The blog entry about transaction #6 is available here: http://www.projectbitcoin.com/1/post/2014/02/one-bitcoin-one-house-one-dream.html

1/29/14 UPDATE: My fifth transaction is complete! I have purchased from Bitcointalk user Casascius two .1 btc 2013 silver round Casascius coins with the funds earned from selling the four wallets to Eduardo. The blog entry about transaction #5 is available here: http://www.projectbitcoin.com/1/post/2014/01/sandcastles-and-casascius-coins.html. I will also copy and paste the blog post as a reply to this post. If you are interested in purchasing the coins from me, feel free to PM me with an offer! Onwards... toward more and more stories about our amazing international bitcoin community and, hopefully, that house!

1/22/14 UPDATE: Our third transaction is complete. If you'd like to read about it, you can visit our blog at http://www.projectbitcoin.com or just scroll down to see the blog entry in a reply post. Eduardo from Brazil bought Phinnaeus Gage's four handtooled customized bitcoin wallets for .33 btc - shipping included. After shipping, that means I have .2726 bitcoin to spend on my next purchase. If you have anything or any experience you'd like to sell me, just reply with the idea or connect with me via PM. Warmest, Bitcoincito!]

1/15/14 UPDATE: Project Bitcoin's second transaction is complete. I have purchased 4 custom leather tooled bitcoin wallets from Phinaeus Gage. The wallets are created by his internationally recognized brother, and can be customized to the preferences of the buyer. If you are interested in buying the wallets, please offer me a price in bitcoin. I will post the latest blog entry from projectbitcoin.com as a reply. Please excuse any grammar errors... it's late here

1/15/14 UPDATE #2: Just in general, a big thank you to the community. You guys are bringing this to life and, already, teaching me so much about what's so special about... us

Today I am launching Project Bitcoin (http://www.projectbitcoin.com) with this BitcoinTalk post. I dreamed about this project a few weeks ago, and now it's becoming real.

The vision of Project Bitcoin is simple: In partnership with the bitcoin community, I want to turn a special central bank issued coin into a house by making at least 20 international transactions using only bitcoin. To do it, I must sell that coin for more than its value [Update: already accomplished!], and then make buy/sell bitcoin transactions that continuously increase in value until, hopefully.... the house.

There are three reasons I created this project:
1. I want to find out if it is possible to make mutually beneficially transactions using bitcoin with anyone in the world.
2. I want to tell the story of the bitcoin community through a series of global transactions and the people they touch.
3. I want to turn a coin into a house. That doesn’t happen everyday. Also, I’ve always wanted a house.

Like any meaningful project, this one has rules:
* No alchemy. I must sell the coin to someone for bitcoin, buy something with the bitcoin, sell that thing for bitcoin, and so on until the... house.
* No losers. Every transaction must have both parties feeling we got a great deal. Every transaction must be valuable for both sides.
* No borders. I must transact with people from at least a dozen countries around the world, including some that may not be so friendly to bitcoin.
* No confusion. Transactions must always be in bitcoin. No fiat currency, no credit card fees, and no bank fees may be a part of any transaction.

The coin that I am selling for bitcoin to kick off the project is unique [Update: already sold]. It's a Peruvian Central Bank issued 1 SOL (~$0.35). There's a long story about it here (http://www.projectbitcoin.com/blog), but the summary is that I found a metalworker in Peru who was able to shave down one side of the coin and etch the bitcoin logo into it. You can see various views of the coin at the bottom of the blog page. If you want to buy it, just send me an email or PM with an offer in bitcoin.

Seeking the support of the BitcoinTalk community would mean the world to me. Also, if you have any questions at all... please ask. Happy to clarify or expound upon any part of this project at all in comments. - Bitcoincito

[Bill Bisco]

I love your idea.  I used your contact form!

[bitcoincito]

PS The significantly longer update - and story behind Day 1 - is available on the blog here: http://www.projectbitcoin.com/blog

[TheButterZone]

If you have a U.S. shipping address check out my stuff at http://fs.thebutterzone.com and make sure to click More results at the bottom, until it disappears. Or see the virtual stuff if I'm selling on the bottom line of my sig (I'll discount the sound to .15 BTC).

[bitcoincito]

TheButterZone, thanks for your offer. I've just checked out your store - it redirects to bitcoinclassifieds. Is it supposed to do that?

Re: stuff, I'm really looking for something special for this project: It could be a thing or experience, and hopefully it represents you, your culture, or the bitcoin community in someway. It's something that someone else would be buying from me in bitcoin soon, and that person would be able to share in the special value too. If you have ideas (or if anyone else has ideas), respond to this thread or PM me. 

I'm excited!

Warmest,
Bitcoincito

[TheButterZone]

TheButterZone, thanks for your offer. I've just checked out your store - it redirects to bitcoinclassifieds. Is it supposed to do that?

Yes. All items at that search URL are mine.

[BitcoinSteve]

awesome concept, hope you get the house, if a paperclip can trade for one Im sure btc can

[bitcoincito]

Thanks BitcoinSteve. Will take all the love we can get. Still working on that special .15 btc purchase. Had someone offer me a camel ride in Egypt, but they didn't come through. Hoping for something of significance to someone, their culture, and/or bitcoin. We'll see!

[BitcoinSteve]

Thanks BitcoinSteve. Will take all the love we can get. Still working on that special .15 btc purchase. Had someone offer me a camel ride in Egypt, but they didn't come through. Hoping for something of significance to someone, their culture, and/or bitcoin. We'll see!

All I can offer is  5 ounces of silver, I just obtained through apmex but it would only + you about $5.. I paid about $120 with shipping...

[jonanon]

Best of luck with your endeavour, unfortunately I have nothing available to sell.

Will be fascinating to watch your progress with this 

[illpoet]

good luck! you can do it!

[bitcoincito]

Illpoet and jonanan, thanks for your support. Means more than I can communicate. This will be a community effort!

BitcoinSteve, thanks so much for your offer man. The only problem with the silver is that I need to find something whose value is flexible... so that I can buy it for .15 making you or someone else happy, and then find someone else in the bitcoin community who values it at even more so that the value of the transactions can keep growing. Silver has a pretty stable market price, so the odds of being able to increase value on the transaction - especially after shipping - would be quite low. Regardless.. the intention is HUGE for me, and means a ton!

If you have any other ideas, let me know!

Warmest,
Bitcoincito

[Phinnaeus Gage]

...so that I can buy it for .15 making you or someone else happy, and then find someone else in the bitcoin community who values it at even more so that the value of the transactions can keep growing.

I believe I can help. How about a hand-tooled leather Bitcoin-themed wallet or some other ware?

Of course, there is no way to get this into your hands within 24 hours, but I have an idea nonetheless--via a pre-order (read order/credit). The item valued upwards to ~$300 (maybe more) would be sold by you, whereupon the buyer commissions by brother-in-law, Martin Basurto, to produce the yet-to-be-determined hand-tooled leather ware.

No need to worry about the end user not getting exactly what they desire via me, given https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=37094.

If the Bitcoiner is a biker, so much more the better, for Martin's been features in over a dozen magazines, including http://www.hotbikeweb.com/hand-tooled-leather-seats-seat-manufacturers-showcase


Upon reading the article, you learn that only the seat on the far right was tooled by Martin, but he's capable of matching or exceeding the quality of any other hand-tooled leather worker in the world.

In essence, I'm offer $300 USD credit toward the purchase of any hand-tooled leather ware desired that Martin Basurto can produce.

You would only have to sell the credit for whatever, giving me the proceeds, whereupon I'll convert the BTC to fiat and give to Martin. I can even go slightly better with this offer. I'll double whatever you sell the 0.15 BTC for, thus if you get $200 USD, a $400 USD credit is made available, up to $500 USD for a $1,000 USD credit.

~Bruno Kucinskas

PS: Will work out any particulars to make this as much as an attractive offer as possible to help in your venerable endeavor.

[bitcoincito]

Phinnaeus Gage (Bruno), this is awesome. I'm going to message you for details. The leatherwork looks beautiful, and the offer is extremely interesting. Thanks for being interested in this project, and for making such a meaningful contribution. Let's talk and see if we can do it!

[franky1]

i would love it if the only currency used was bitcoin. none of this buy something for bitcoin convert to fiat then buy something else.. a pure product->bitcoin->product->bitcoin->product->bitcoin. and so on.

i have nothing against one product swapped for another product direct, but keeping it with the bitcoin theme where fiat is not involved even up to the point of finding the estate agent that will accept bitcoin to buy the house, now that would be the true bitcoin challenge. non of this converting to fiat stuff, or else it just turns into that fiat story of the paperclip into a house.. a pure bitcoin challenge would show, what already has been done in fiat, it can be done in bitcoin too.

the no alchemy part sounds great which is why i hope this quote

In essence, I'm offer $300 USD credit toward the purchase of any hand-tooled leather ware desired that Martin Basurto can produce.

You would only have to sell the credit for whatever, giving me the proceeds, whereupon I'll convert the BTC to fiat and give to Martin. I can even go slightly better with this offer. I'll double whatever you sell the 0.15 BTC for, thus if you get $200 USD, a $400 USD credit is made available, up to $500 USD for a $1,000 USD credit.

~Bruno Kucinskas

PS: Will work out any particulars to make this as much as an attractive offer as possible to help in your venerable endeavor.

translates to offering 0.3BTC credit toward the purchase of any hand-tooled leather ware desired that Martin Basurto can produce.
and then sell the product for a higher BTC price, so if he sells it for upto 0.5btc he will get 1btc

[bitcoincito]

franky1, this reply was HUGE for me because it meant that someone gets the importance of this project being about transacting in only bitcoin. In fact, in the Project Rules (www.projectbitcoin.com/details), Rule #4 makes crystal clear the point you are underscoring. I'll quote:

No confusion. Transactions must always be in bitcoin. No fiat currency, no credit card fees, and no bank fees may be a part of any transaction.

There is no way around this point. For this project to be legit, there simply can't be any funny work. It's got to be as straightforward as possible - transactions in bitcoin... that hopefully grow increasingly larger with each transaction.

As such, when I messaged Phinnaeus Gage more 3 hours ago, I clarified that exact point!! He still hasn't gotten back to me, but I can't imagine he - or anyone else who wants to see the full possibility of bitcoin be realized - would be opposed to these rules.

Again, frankly thanks for the comment and for elucidating publicly a really important value of the project. Really appreciated!

[Phinnaeus Gage]

franky1, this reply was HUGE for me because it meant that someone gets the importance of this project being about transacting in only bitcoin. In fact, in the Project Rules (www.projectbitcoin.com/details), Rule #4 makes crystal clear the point you are underscoring. I'll quote:

No confusion. Transactions must always be in bitcoin. No fiat currency, no credit card fees, and no bank fees may be a part of any transaction.

There is no way around this point. For this project to be legit, there simply can't be any funny work. It's got to be as straightforward as possible - transactions in bitcoin... that hopefully grow increasingly larger with each transaction.

As such, when I messaged Phinnaeus Gage more 3 hours ago, I clarified that exact point!! He still hasn't gotten back to me, but I can't imagine he - or anyone else who wants to see the full possibility of bitcoin be realized - would be opposed to these rules.

Again, frankly thanks for the comment and for elucidating publicly a really important value of the project. Really appreciated!

I, too, appreciate Frank's concern.

To be clear, if Martin Basurto's hand-tooled leather wares is considered for this venerable endeavor, the transaction will be via bitcoins but, just as BitPay is used as a payment provider to convert bitcoins to fiat for their customer base, I will be converting any bitcoin payment(s) to Martin for his services into fiat. In fact, I could even use my barn wood website that has a special section allocated for leather wares that uses BitPay as the payment provided, thus allowing them to earn their fee for said service, of which has been used once prior for a gentleman in Belgium for the purchase of a Bitcoin-themed wallet.

~Bruno Kucinskas

[Rassah]

Perhaps I can finally offload my coffee table...

[bitcoincito]

Project Bitcoin Update: First a Coin. Now Four Wallets (http://www.projectbitcoin.com/1/post/2014/01/first-a-coin-now-four-wallets.html)

[For info about the first transaction, go here: http://www.projectbitcoin.com/1/post/2014/01/first-transaction-complete.html, and for additional details on the project, go here: http://www.projectbitcoin.com/details.html]

Four days ago, I was the proud owner of the world's only Peruvian Central Bank Issued (bit)coin. It cost me ~$0.35 for the coin + .017 bitcoin that I paid a Peruvian metalworker to design it.

I sold the (bit)coin to Jonathan from England for .15 bitcoin. Then I began looking for something to buy. I made another post on Reddit that, unlike the first post I'd made, received some warm responses!

"I will write a song and sell you the rights.."
"I will take you snowboarding..."
"I will sell you a snowboard..."
"A bottle of French champage..."
"A drawing of the bitcoin magic Internet Money Wizard..."
"I will sell you an old graphics card..."
"I will sell you an old laptop..."
"I will take you on a camel journey in Egypt..."

While each of the offers had their own unique charm, the camel journey struck me because.... wow... would that be cool! One of my favorite books was "The Alchemist," by Paulo Coelho, and I've always dreamed of knowing Egypt. So even though I'd be selling the camel journey to someone else, it'd be fun to vicariously live that journey through them.

But as life would have it, this person had to check with her mother about the camel journey (as it was her mother's camel)... and she never got back to me. As far as I know, even, the camel never existed. So... I continued forward. While I was grateful for the other offers, I wanted something that excited me like the camel journey in Egypt.  

I returned to BitcoinTalk - the forum where I met Jonathan, and I wondered in an update about whether anyone might have something interesting to sell me. A few hours later, Phinnaeus Gage responded...

Phinnaeus is a very, very interesting man. In addition to being dubbed "the most interesting bitcoiner" by Let's Talk Bitcoin, Phinnaeus also helped create Bitcoin 100, an organization that exists to convince charities to accept bitcoin donations. But there's much, much more to him...

In his spare time, Phinnaeus also sells the custom leatherwork of his brother Martin to the bitcoin community. Martin is internationally recognized as one of the world's best in his craft - having sold custom leather bike seats to Jay Leno and Steven Tyler, in addition to many other celebrities. He's also been creating customized bitcoin wallets for the Bitcoin community, which he sells for $125 to $200, depending on the needs of the client.

Phinnaeus Gage - in real life Bruno Kucinskas - offered to sell me a credit for four customized bitcoin wallets for just .15 bitcoins. It was an amazing deal from someone who believes in Project Bitcoin, felt its value, and wanted to be a part of it. I jumped at the offer.

It wasn't just that I fell in love with the wallets and with Martin's unparalleled leatherwork that led me to accept the offer so quickly. It was also the absolutely nutty symbolism behind this second transaction:

Project Bitcoin began with my offering a (bit)coin.... and with the funds I received for that coin, I have now been able to buy four customized bitcoin wallets. And while bitcoins and bitcoin wallets are generally considered virtual, the first two transactions have, in fact, shown them to exist in tangible form too. It is that gap between the virtual in bitcoin - the seemingly untouchable - and the tangible, that I am hoping to close with this project (if only a little bit).

So there it is. Two transactions are complete, and we have an untold number of additional transactions if I am going to stumble upon that house. But life happens one moment at a time. And in this moment, I have four customized bitcoin wallets to sell (the buyer will determine how he or she wants them customized). I'm excited to sell them to someone who wants those wallets... and also, to someone who believes in the power of an international bitcoin community to, together, make a kind of magic the world has never seen before.

[No_2]

Just received my coin and as a collector of unusual currencies and coins I can say I'm very pleased with it; beautifully made and crafted. The maker was very skilled.

Am I right in reading your blog that you paid the metal worker in Peru in Bitcoin too?