Remember when you could buy some pizzas for 10,000 Bitcoin? Sounds crazy, right? Back in Bitcoin’s early days, it was dirt cheap—like, less than a dollar per coin. Fast forward to today, and each Bitcoin is worth over $100,000. 

Now, imagine being one of the early miners who sold their Bitcoin for just $1. You’d probably be kicking yourself now, right? In this article, we’re diving into the stories of those miners. We’ll explore why they sold so early, what they missed out on, and what it means for the crypto world today. Let’s dig in!

1. Laszlo Hanyecz: The Guy Who Bought Pizza with 10,000 Bitcoins

Back in May 2010, Laszlo Hanyecz, a programmer from Florida, made a deal that’s now famous in the Bitcoin world. He traded 10,000 Bitcoins for two pizzas. At the time, Bitcoin was super cheap—about $0.003 per coin—so those 10,000 Bitcoins were worth just $30. Laszlo posted on a Bitcoin forum offering the coins for two pizzas, and a guy named Jeremy Sturdivant took him up on it. Jeremy ordered the pizzas from Papa John’s using his credit card and got 10,000 Bitcoins in return.

Fast forward to today, and those 10,000 Bitcoins would be worth over $1 billion. Yes, billion with a "B." Laszlo doesn’t regret it, though. He mined those Bitcoins for next to nothing, so he sees it as a fun story from the early days of Bitcoin. Still, that pizza will forever be the most expensive meal in history.

2. Roger Ver: Bitcoin Jesus Who Sold BTC at $1

Roger Ver, often called “Bitcoin Jesus,” is one of the earliest and most vocal advocates of Bitcoin. He discovered Bitcoin in 2011 when it was still under $1 per coin. Ver was an entrepreneur with a libertarian outlook, and he quickly saw Bitcoin as the future of money. He didn’t just talk about Bitcoin; he bought it—lots of it. By the time Bitcoin hit $1, Ver had accumulated hundreds of thousands of coins. Some estimates say he had over 400,000 Bitcoins at one point.

However, Ver didn’t hold onto all his Bitcoins. He sold a chunk to fund various projects, including the now-defunct BitInstant and Bitcoin.com. By the time Bitcoin hit $1,000 in 2013, Ver had already cashed out some of his stash. Today, if Ver had kept all his coins, his holdings would be worth over $40 billion. While Ver has made a fortune in other crypto ventures, selling so early might still make him think twice.

3. Erik Finman: The 12-Year-Old Who Bought Bitcoin for $12

Erik Finman was just 12 years old when he made his first Bitcoin investment in 2011. His grandmother gave him $1,000, and instead of blowing it on toys or games, he decided to invest in Bitcoin. At the time, Bitcoin was worth about $10–$12 per coin. Erik bought 100 Bitcoins with that money. Over the years, Bitcoin’s value soared, and by the time Erik was 18, he had 403 Bitcoins. 

By 2017, Bitcoin hit nearly $20,000 each, turning Erik’s 403 Bitcoins into a fortune. Erik sold some of his Bitcoin, but he held onto most of it. When Bitcoin hit $20,000, his Bitcoins were worth over $8 million. Today, those same Bitcoins would be worth over $40 million. Erik’s story proves that being early to the game can really pay off. If only everyone could see into the future like Erik did!

The Crypto Rollercoaster Ride

These stories show how early Bitcoin miners and investors had no idea just how big Bitcoin would become. While Laszlo bought pizza for 10,000 Bitcoins, Erik turned a small investment into millions, and Roger Ver’s early support of Bitcoin helped shape the future of crypto. All three sold or spent their Bitcoin before it became the powerhouse it is today, and now they’re part of Bitcoin history. 

As crazy as it sounds, the lesson is clear: sometimes, being early in a new technology can be both a blessing and a curse. These stories are reminders of what could’ve been, but also of how Bitcoin has grown and changed the world since those early days.