9 Years Since “Buy Bitcoin” at the Fed

[Alex077]

Nine years ago today, on July 12, 2017, during Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's testimony before the House Financial Services Committee, 22-year-old intern Christian Langalis held up a cardboard sign behind her that simply read, "Buy Bitcoin." From that moment on, he became known as the legendary "Bitcoin Sign Guy."
At the time of the hearing, Bitcoin was trading at around $2,320.
Interestingly, Langalis was quickly escorted out of the hearing, but before that he had written his Bitcoin wallet address on the sign.
The crypto community appreciated the gesture and sent him more than 7 BTC as a reward for taking the risk.

It's still considered one of the most memorable moments in Bitcoin's history. Even more incredible, the original "Buy Bitcoin" sign sold at auction in 2024 for 16 BTC, which was worth around $1.03 million at the time.

   

[dzungmobile]

Nine years ago today, on July 12, 2017, during Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's testimony before the House Financial Services Committee, 22-year-old intern Christian Langalis held up a cardboard sign behind her that simply read, "Buy Bitcoin." From that moment on, he became known as the legendary "Bitcoin Sign Guy."
At the time of the hearing, Bitcoin was trading at around $2,320.
  

I remembered this and yesterday, there are people reminded about it in this forum already.

I wonder that after years, has Janet Yellen already bought bitcoins?
Honestly I don't follow what she did as it is not important with me, but if anyone knows please share. It's interesting if Janet Yellen with time has become a Bitcoiner.

I am not shocked if she changed herself this way but not sure about what's happened since 2017 with her. Saylor changed and become a Bitcoin maximalist so there is similar chance for Janet's changes.

[Chinesebaby]

Nine years ago today, on July 12, 2017, during Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's testimony before the House Financial Services Committee, 22-year-old intern Christian Langalis held up a cardboard sign behind her that simply read, "Buy Bitcoin." From that moment on, he became known as the legendary "Bitcoin Sign Guy."
At the time of the hearing, Bitcoin was trading at around $2,320.

This is indeed another reason why we need to keep trusting Bitcoin every day, because I'm literally just wondering how will those people who sent "Christian Langali" out of the conference hall for raising up a "Buy Bitcoin" sign behind the Federal Reserve Chair "Janet Yellen" will be feeling right now that Bitcoin have skyrocketed far more than what it was 9years ago in 2017 when Bitcoin was been valued around $2,320. Because I'm very very sure that they will all be regretting right now that they had the opportunity to change their life by investing in Bitcoin when it was very cheap, but yet they all messed up by thinking it was not worth anything. And the raw truth right now is that just as some people never trusted Bitcoin many years ago to be this valuable, that's how some people today are thinking maybe it's too late to invest in it. Not knowing that it's value will keep on skyrocketing.

[Marykeller]

It is interesting to see how a 22-year-old Christian Langalis had the boldness to think of writing "buy Bitcoin" in a cardboard sign during a live testimony of Janet Yellen on live TV.

Nobody saw it coming that Bitcoin would be promoted by someone in such a manner in a live broadcast. The surprising thing about this, is what has been regarded as not necessary to promote at that time in 2017, is what countries, firms, and individuals globally are longing to invest in heavily.

[Alphakilo]

I never heard of this story till now and it's more inspiring than Trump openly pledging his support for Bitcoin as a political agenda and going behind to launch his own coin just for selfish reasons.
What Langalis did was nothing short of a calm and subtle guerrilla marketing campaign stunt that not only is a historical story, but also because he did it without any political agenda or selfish reasons but in the end, he earned much more money in terms of donations and a name in the Bitcoin ecosystem.

 

[Ayers]

Nine years ago today, on July 12, 2017, during Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's testimony before the House Financial Services Committee, 22-year-old intern Christian Langalis held up a cardboard sign behind her that simply read, "Buy Bitcoin." From that moment on, he became known as the legendary "Bitcoin Sign Guy."
At the time of the hearing, Bitcoin was trading at around $2,320.
Interestingly, Langalis was quickly escorted out of the hearing, but before that he had written his Bitcoin wallet address on the sign.

It was actually one of the best and most effective marketing in Bitcoin history.
And one of the best financial messages I've ever seen.

You know what's even crazier? It didn't require a million dollar budget or corporate campaign.
Christian Langalis held up the paper with those two words written on it at the perfect moment.
It's thrilling to imagine the situation, standing right behind the representatives of the traditional monetary system and doing this.

The crypto community appreciated the gesture and sent him more than 7 BTC as a reward for taking the risk.

We saw again how Bitcoiners, without any central organization, are always ready to reward people's honesty and courage.

It's still considered one of the most memorable moments in Bitcoin's history. Even more incredible, the original "Buy Bitcoin" sign sold at auction in 2024 for 16 BTC, which was worth around $1.03 million at the time.

Do you know that the money was not just cashed out, but given to the Bitcoin software development fund?