A lucky GameStop customer has won an entire Bitcoin worth more than $63,000 after opening a pack of crypto-themed trading cards costing just $30. The winning card, first revealed in a Reddit post this month, was hidden in a first edition pack of Cardsmiths' “Currency Trading Cards”, which he had purchased from the retailer.
The card series features crypto memes and cartoon caricatures of famous figures from the crypto-currency world, including MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor, anonymous Bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto and Elon Musk. Launched in 2022, the series is not limited to Bitcoin; the packs also include rare cards exchangeable for Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Dogecoin (DOGE).
This wasn't the first time this collector had bought a pack of Currency Trading Cards. According to his post on Reddit, this was his twelfth purchase. It took him ‘a while’ after buying the pack before he scratched the card to reveal the reward, claiming that the pack ‘looked better in the binder’.
The lucky winner expressed his amazement: ‘It's mind-blowing to me, honestly.’ However, not all collectors share the same level of fortune. According to a publication in the specialist magazine ‘Cllct’, another Bitcoin had been discovered in March by another collector.
Tonyk.com, the parent company behind the cards, claimed that there were five Bitcoin tickets up for grabs when the first edition was launched. With two public wins known to date, it is uncertain how many remain in circulation - at least for the first edition.
The first editions are still available to buy on the official Cardsmiths website for $32.99, with cryptocurrency payment options of course. Second and third editions have been launched in 2023 and early 2024 respectively.
This news comes as GameStop looks to strengthen its position in the physical collectibles market while also exiting other markets. After launching its own Ethereum-based NFT marketplace in July 2022 and announcing plans for NFT games with a developer incentive fund amounting to $100 million, the company closed its NFT business in August 2023 citing regulatory issues.
In contrast, GameStop recently began buying and selling professionally authenticated Pokémon cards from 2024. High-end Pokémon cards from the 90s in particular can cost as much as a Bitcoin.
