Justin Trimble confirmed in his October 20, 2025 blog post that the Beeple "Politics is Bullshit" NFT he purchased five years ago for just $1 has now skyrocketed in value to $150,000.
This widely circulated screenshot on social media is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the ripple effects Beeple’s works have triggered in the market.
At an event in Charleston, Beeple orchestrated a fictional origin story for CryptoPunks and Nakamigos NFTs, which led to Nakamigos’ floor price soaring by 140% within a few hours.
01 The Comeback Story: An NFT Journey from $1 to $150,000
Justin Trimble is an early NFT collector and co-founder of the AI-generated art platform "Braindrops."
He entered the crypto space in early 2020 and has since built a significant collection focused on generative and AI digital art.
Trimble first encountered Bitcoin during its early price swings, and as Ethereum unlocked new possibilities, he became even more deeply involved in the crypto world.
A few months later, he discovered NFTs through CryptoPunks, which introduced him to blockchain-based digital art.
He later developed a deeper interest in generative art through platforms like Art Blocks.
02 Beeple’s Double-Edged Market Impact
Success Stories
Trimble’s portfolio includes several valuable NFT collectibles.
He owns the Nwanyi-Sunday NFT by digital artist Osinachi, featuring a woman in a red patterned dress inspired by Nigerian textiles.
He also holds several Pipe Chromie Squiggles, which are among the rarest visual subtypes in SnowFro’s Chromie Squiggles collection, accounting for less than 2% of the total supply.
Unlike standard Squiggles, these feature slender, segmented colors bordered by black rings, giving them a three-dimensional effect and a unique visual identity.
Market Volatility
However, not all Beeple works have performed well.
Beeple’s "Everydays: The First 5000 Days" sold for $69.3 million at Christie’s in March 2021, setting an NFT sales record, but is now valued at just $10 million.
This piece is a digital collage of 5,000 images Beeple created daily over more than 10 years.
It presents a chronological compilation of his daily creations from 2007 to early 2021, showcasing his evolution from rough pop culture cartoons to complex sci-fi and political themes.
The sudden price drop highlights the volatility of NFTs, meaning their prices can swing dramatically and unpredictably.
03 Beeple’s Market Influence and Controversial Stunts
Performance Art or Market Manipulation?
In 2025, Beeple staged a controversial event at an event in Charleston.
He presented an interview video with CryptoPunks NFT creators Matt Hall and John Watkinson.
The video claimed that Nakamigos NFTs predated CryptoPunks and were a secret project by Larva Labs.
This revelation was accompanied by a dramatic countdown to the "unveiling" of the so-called "V0 Punks," directly linking this fictional narrative to Nakamigos.
Immediate Market Response
The impact on the NFT market was swift and significant.
- Nakamigos floor price: Rose by about 140% within a few hours
- Trading activity: Saw a significant surge
- Current price: According to the latest data, Nakamigos NFTs are trading at 0.23 ETH, representing a 25% increase
This price movement underscores the highly speculative nature of the NFT market, where perceived scarcity and compelling narratives can significantly influence asset valuations.
Industry Reaction
The NFT community’s response to Beeple’s stunt was mixed.
Some traders saw the event as a clever prank, injecting humor into an industry often weighed down by market pressures.
Others felt the stunt blurred the lines between performance art and market manipulation, raising ethical questions about influencing trading activity through fictional storytelling.
04 NFT Market Status and Data Insights
A Period of Market Correction
According to a DappRadar report, art NFT trading volume dropped from $2.9 billion during the 2021 boom to $23.8 million in Q1 2025—a 93% decrease.
During the same period, the number of traders shrank from 529,000 in 2022 to just 19,000, described as a "sobering reassessment."
The market is shifting from hype to value. Art NFTs haven’t disappeared; they are maturing.
Recent Market Trends
CryptoSlam data from March 2025 shows weekly NFT market trading volume dropped by 7.84%, falling from $121.5 million to $109.2 million.
Interestingly, despite the decline in trading volume, the number of buyers surged by 697%, reaching 204,693.
This divergence suggests that while the overall market value may have dipped temporarily, the participant base is expanding, potentially laying the groundwork for more stable future growth.
Whale Activity
Three NFT artworks by surrealist artist Beeple were sold as a bundle on Nifty Gateway to crypto whale 0xb1 for 333.666 ETH, worth about $540,000.
This indicates that high-value investors continue to have confidence in Beeple’s work, even during a market correction.
05 NFT Investment Strategies and Risk Management
The Successful Collector’s Approach
Justin Trimble’s success is no accident. He focused on blockchain-based digital art and established positions in the NFT space early on.
He is not only a collector but also an early investor and advisor to Stability AI, supporting the development of open-source artificial intelligence.
This demonstrates his deep involvement in generative art and AI creativity—an important skill for identifying future trends.
Balancing Risk
The NFT art market offers significant potential returns but also comes with high risks and volatility.
- Diversified investments: Trimble owns multiple NFT collectibles, including Beeple works, Osinachi’s Nwanyi-Sunday, and several Pipe Chromie Squiggles
- Long-term perspective: His involvement with Braindrops and AI-generated art shows a long-term belief in emerging trends
- Market timing: He entered the crypto space in early 2020, just before the NFT boom
The Importance of Due Diligence
Beeple’s controversial stunt highlights the importance of conducting due diligence on project backgrounds and authenticity.
In the fast-evolving digital asset ecosystem, critical thinking and verification are essential.
Looking Ahead
As Justin Trimble noted, the Beeple NFT he bought for $1 five years ago is now worth $150,000.
The market has also witnessed Beeple’s "Everydays: The First 5000 Days" fall from $69.3 million to $10 million.
The digital art NFT market is shifting from speculative hype to value discovery. Works that possess artistic merit, cultural significance, and technological innovation may gradually reveal their long-term value amid market volatility.
