Ross Ulbricht, the controversial founder of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, has raised over $1.8 million in Bitcoin through a public auction of his personal belongings. The items, sold exclusively via the Bitcoin-only marketplace Scarce City, offered collectors a chance to own a piece of crypto history, just months after Ulbricht was pardoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump. The auction, which included both personal effects from before Ulbricht’s 2013 arrest and memorabilia from his time behind bars, attracted strong interest from the crypto community. Items ranged from a well-worn sleeping bag and backpack to prison clothing, artwork, and even his final prison-issued ID card . “I’ve left Arizona, the state where I was in prison. It’s time to travel. That means downsizing and turning the page,” Ulbricht wrote on the auction page. “I don’t need the reminders and I’m sure some of you will love to have them.” ID Card Sells for Over $1 Million Among the most coveted items was Ulbricht’s final prison ID card, which sold for an astonishing 11 BTC — over $1.1 million at current prices. “The guard tried to get me to stop smiling for the photo, but my joy comes from within,” Ulbricht remarked in a personal note. “So I smiled that day, even though I was in prison.” Another standout was a painting co-created by Ulbricht and a fellow inmate known as “Omega,” which fetched 1.01 BTC. Ulbricht described the piece as a symbol of hope: “It gave me the feeling that, if I could pass through it, something better would be on the other side.” The auction was structured to ensure fairness, requiring a 1% collateral deposit from bidders and a resettable countdown to deter last-minute bid sniping. All payments must be finalized by June 2, with Bitcoin preferred, although small PayPal payments were accepted. Ulbricht Dormant Bitcoin Holdings Beyond the auction, Ulbricht could potentially regain access to millions in dormant Bitcoin. According to Coinbase’s Conor Grogan, about 430 BTC — currently worth around $47 million — remain untouched in wallets tied to Ulbricht that were never seized. Blockchain firm Arkham Intelligence confirmed the findings, identifying 14 such wallets . One of them alone holds over $9 million in BTC. These funds have been inactive for more than 13 years, stirring speculation about their future use following Ulbricht’s release. The post Ross Ulbricht Personal Belongings Auction Nets $1.8M in Bitcoin appeared first on TheCoinrise.com .
