A Forgotten $27 Becomes a Fortune
Kristoffer Koch, a student in 2009, made a small investment in Bitcoin—spending just $27 as part of a class project. Inspired by a paper written by Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, Koch bought 5,000 Bitcoin, fascinated by the emerging technology.
Neglected Investment
Over time, Koch forgot about the purchase. At the time, he saw little value in it, saying, “The sole purchasable items in those days were alpaca socks, thus I proceeded with my life and relinquished thoughts of this venture to instead concentrate on securing gainful employment.”
Shocking Discovery
Four years later, in 2013, Koch checked his account after hearing Bitcoin’s price was climbing. To his shock, the forgotten investment was now worth $850,000. He told local media, “Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that they would have soared like this.”
Luxury and Long-Term Wealth
After recovering his digital wallet password, Koch sold one-fifth of his Bitcoin, paid taxes, and bought a high-end apartment in Oslo. The remaining Bitcoin—if untouched—would now be worth around $594.5 million. Reflecting on the experience, he remarked, “It’s bizarre, these psychological reflexes that make us attach a value to something that doesn’t have any in itself.”
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