Ross Ulbricht Auctions Prison Memorabilia, ID Card Sells For 11 Bitcoin
Highlights
- Ross Ulbricht's prison mementos have fetched nearly $2 million in Bitcoin.
- The Silk Road founder's oil painting, lock, and clothing were auctioned to anonymous buyers.
- Ross Ulbricht earned a presidential pardon in early 2025 and gave a keynote speech at Bitcoin 2025.
Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht has raked in $1.8 million in Bitcoin from the sale of personal items linked to his incarceration. His prison ID card pulled in 11 BTC while an oil painting earned 1.2 BTC from the auction.
Ross Ulbricht Earns Nearly $2 Million In Bitcoin From Prison Mementos
As Ross Ulbricht savors the taste of freedom after over a decade behind bars, the Silk Road founder is parting ways with his items from prison. According to a listing description on Bitcoin-based marketplace Scare City, Ulbricht opted to auction the personal effects from his time in prison.
“I’ve decided to auction some personal items from before my arrest and during my time in prison,” said Ulbricht. “I don’t need the reminders and I’m sure some of you will love to havee them.”
Right off the bat, bids for the items began trickling in with Ulbricht’s prison ID card garnering a top bid of 11 BTC, valued at $1.1 million. The ID, featuring a picture of a smiling Ross Ulbricht, has become an iconic item among his prison paraphernalia.
Other items like Ulbricht’s prison notebook raked in a 1.06 BTC while his prison sneakers earned 0.54 BTC. Other items on the list include his prison sweatsuit, the lock on his prison locker, and a cache of pre-arrest personal effects.
Bitcoin price crashed by 8%, but with prices hovering at around $104K, Ulbricht’s total haul from the auction exceeds $1.8 million.
Oil Paintings Earn A Fortune For The Black Marketplace Creator
Ross Ulbricht added oil paintings from his time in prison to the auction list. Ulbricht picked up the oil painting as a hobby in prison, throwing in three artworks in the mix.
One painting titled Archway sold for 1.o1 Bitcoin while the other two pulled in a combined 1.40 BTC.
At the time of his arrest in 2013, Ulbricht owned 144,336 BTC from earnings from operating the online black marketplace Silk Road. After spending over a decade in jail, US President Donald Trump granted Ulbricht a presidential pardon.
Ross Ulbricht made his first public appearance at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas alongside industry heavyweights. Ulbricht delivered a keynote address at the conference, expressing gratitude for the widespread support during his incarceration.
Clearer crypto regulation in the US and a changing regulatory stance by authorities are tipped to foster industry innovation. US regulators are abandoning their cases against crypto mixers like Tornado Cash, signaling a new wave of incoming regulatory clarity.
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