Considering the craze behind digital assets, Vodafone has sold its first ever “Merry Christmas” SMS at an auction. The text message was sold as a Non Fungible Token (NFT) at an auction hosted at Paris auction house. The buyer will pay with Ether Cryptocurrency.
The first ever SMS was sent on Vodafone network and received on 3rd Of December 1992 by a Vodafone employee. A UK manager received the SMS from Vodafone engineer Neil Papworth was received on his two kilogram ‘Orbitel’ telephone.
The proceeds from the auction will go for charity to UNHCR, an UN refugee agency which work for people who are forced to flee their home due to conflict and persecution. The news was shared on Vodafone twitter handle, and the company has assured it will not mint another NFT of the world’s first SMS in the future. The buyer will get a certificate which guarantees authenticity and uniqueness of the NFT, which will be signed by Vodafone group CEO Nick Read.
NFT is one of a kind digital collectible which is unique and can’t be replaced. They have been traded around 2017, and each NFT has a unique digital signature. These collectibles is anything that can be stored digitally and could be songs, movies, social media posts and more. NFT surged in popularity this year and an artwork is sold for millions of dollars.
Auction house founder Maximillian Augttes said that the first inventions have changed the human history and is a proof of technological progress mankind has made. They are delighted to be able to support the sale of this historic piece. The selling of intangible goods is illegal in France, hence they have packed the SMS in a digital frame, displaying the code and communication protocol.
