'Bitcoin Pizza Day': Why 2 Pies Are Now Worth $5 Million

ByALYSSA NEWCOMB ABCNews logo
Thursday, May 22, 2014

Who knew buying a hungry guy pizza could make you a millionaire?

The first Bitcoin transaction, according to Internet lore, was for two Papa John's pizzas delivered to a guy in Florida named Laszlo Hanyecz, who ponied up 10,000 bitcoin (about $30) in exchange for the pies.

"It was a good pizza," Hanyecz, 32, told ABC News today.

According to today's exchange rate for the crypto currency, the pizzas would have cost Hanyecz about $5 million.

The programmer, who said his balance is now "in the low single digits," said he is proud of his place in Bitcoin history.

"It kind of helped show people what it was worth," he said.

On May 18, 2010, Hanyecz posted his humble request on the Bitcoin Talk forum.

"I'll pay 10,000 bitcoins for a couple of pizzas ... like maybe 2 large ones so I have some left over for the next day. I like having left over pizza to nibble on later. You can make the pizza yourself and bring it to my house or order it for me from a delivery place, but what I'm aiming for is getting food delivered in exchange for bitcoins where I don't have to order or prepare it myself, kind of like ordering a 'breakfast platter' at a hotel or something, they just bring you something to eat and you're happy!" the post read.

He continued: "I like things like onions, peppers, sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes, pepperoni, etc.. just standard stuff no weird fish topping or anything like that. I also like regular cheese pizzas which may be cheaper to prepare or otherwise acquire. If you're interested please let me know and we can work out a deal."

Hanyecz posted on May 22 that someone had taken him up on his offer -- marking what is believed to by many in the community to be the first crypto currency exchange for goods.

Bitcoin was in its infancy at the time and so Hanyecz continued his feeding frenzy through the summer of 2010, until he wrote that he could no longer afford to fork over so many bitcoin for pizza.

"I ended up getting cleaned out pretty quick," Hanyecz said.

It was not immediately known if the pizza benefactor had held on to the bitcoins, however if he or she did, they would be a millionaires today.

Hanyecz said hasn't given much thought to how he will mark the anniversary of his most famous purchase, however he said he has no regrets about his spending spree.

"If everybody sits on it then there isn't any value [and] then somebody wont trade it," he said. "It feels good that at least I was able to contribute to that."

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