Sometimes, patience really is gold. Or in this case – Bitcoin.
Not long ago we wrote about silver coins, and now this…
In 2012, a Bitcointalk forum user known as JohnGalt purchased a physical Bitcoin coin (a so-called Casascius coin) containing a private key for 100 BTC – for just $500. These coins were released in limited quantities and are now collector’s items – brass tokens with a hologram and an embedded private key.
Thirteen years later – in May 2025 – JohnGalt finally activated the key and withdrew the funds. At the time, the coins were worth about $10 million. That’s roughly a 20,000x return on his original investment.
Why did he wait so long?
According to JohnGalt himself, he hesitated to open the coin for years because of its collectible value. Casascius coins have become prized among crypto enthusiasts and numismatists.
But once Bitcoin passed $100,000, priorities shifted. The conclusion was clear – 100 BTC in a wallet is better than a coin in a drawer.
Casascius: the coins that can make you a millionaire
Casascius coins are physical Bitcoins released between 2011 and 2013. Inside each is a hidden private key – in other words, they hold “frozen” BTC.
Most of these coins have already been redeemed, but some remain untouched. Their value lies not only in the BTC inside, but in the rarity of the artifact itself.
💡 The moral?
Sometimes the best thing you can do – is nothing. Especially when holding a rare digital asset. And even more important – don’t forget where you hid it.
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