Bill Murray NFT: A Stories and Beers NFT
The Bill Murray NFT collectible has been a hit since its release. An NFT featuring a unique invitation to share a beer with the actor was auctioned for 119 ETH. The issue is that hackers targeted the actor’s wallet after the auction.
Well-known American actor and comedian Bill Murray entered the world of NFTs with his first series, which caused a stir on the Coinbase marketplace.
Fans of the award-winning Ghostbusters actor can now live out their dream of interacting and toasting with Murray while listening to some of Murray’s funniest stories.
The Shack/The Chive, in partnership with blockchain startup Project Venkman, created the Bill Murray NFT series.
What Is a Bill Murray NFT?
Bill Murray has many stories and there are many stories about Bill Murray. Each Bill Murray NFT is based on an original Murray painting by David Gries, then given a unique background and finish to set them apart.
Each NFT tells a story in words and images. Some have to do with the actor’s nearly five-year career, from “Saturday Night Live” to movies like “Ghostbusters” and “The Caddy’s Cabin,” as well as his relationships with other comedy legends.
Others are about the 71-year-old actor and his penchant for crashing random weddings or stealing other people’s French fries. The set includes a total of 1,000 non-consumable tokens based on 100 of Murray’s previously unpublished personal stories.
Each Bill Murray NFT in the collection tells a unique Murray story in words and images. The collection is based on portraits by David Griese and digital art by Chris Bomelli and Angel Chavez. But perhaps most importantly, each NFT gives owners the chance to meet and interact with Murray and even share a beer with the actor.
What Happened in the Market with the Appearance of the NFT?
The Bill Murray NFT has been trading on the Coinbase NFT Market for over a month at a base price of 1.5 Ether (ETH) each, or around $2,319 at press time. However, the item was of particular interest to collectors at a charity auction featuring an original Grizzle painting.
An exclusive NFT called “A Great Story,” which depicts Bill Murray’s complete series of 1,000 people portraits, fetched 119.2 ETH (approximately $185,000) at auction.
This collectible stands out as a unique icon in the collection, exemplifying the type, and it comes with an invitation to share a beer with Murray.
The auction ignited a bidding war, with six different collectors submitting a total of 60 bids, and lucky user Brant Boersma emerged as the winner, as reported by CoinDesk.
Owning the Bill Murray NFT grants Boersma the exclusive privilege of sharing it with Murray and taking home a unique memory. The actor’s date is documented on screen as series artist Grizzly joins the party to paint a portrait of Boersma and Murray together. Owners will retain the painting, which will also feature labeling, alongside the original 182-cm painting of Murray’s face.
The event’s purpose is charity. All auction proceeds go to benefit Chive Charities, a non-profit organization that supports families of veterans and first responders. The NFT series comprises 100 stories selected from conversations with Murray and existing material, with each story ultimately receiving approval from Murray himself.
The team shared videos of Murray discussing the story and providing comments on the edited text, and Decrypt reviewed a physical draft that Murray commented on and evaluated.
The Creators and The Birth of the Bill Murray NFT
Originally launched for 1.5 ETH, Murray NFT has been gaining popularity on the Coinbase market, and “The Great Story” is far from the most expensive entry. The most expensive NFT in the series is currently trading for almost 500 ETH, or $771,500, depending on the platform. Meanwhile, the cheapest version costs 11 ETH, or around $17,000.
The Bill Murray 1000 project stems in part from The Venkman Project, a company Murray co-owns that spun out of The Chive and is named after his Ghostbusters character Peter Venkman.
According to Resig, The Chive hosts at least two events a year for NFT holders. He didn’t want to share many details about the events, but said people will be able to meet and connect with Murray at events that could last for years. NFT holders also have access to private Discord communities.
In addition, the original buyer of each NFT will receive a silver coin engraved with the same issue number that will serve as a ticket to The Chives’ annual Gold, Silver, and Black Dinner in Austin, Texas.
Although Murray is not a fan of technology, he does have a diverse collection of NFTs, including pieces from CryptoPunks and Cool Cats. The actor joins a growing list of celebrities exploring the world of digital assets.
The tokens were launched in partnership with Coinbase’s NFT marketplace, and some of the most valuable NFTs offer buyers the chance to sit down with Bill Murray himself to have a beer. CoinBase confirmed that the funds raised will be donated to non-profit organizations that support veterans.
Benefits For Buyers and Charities
Buyers can sell NFTs on the secondary market. But keep the tokens if they wish, as the tokens provide constant dividends.
Murray wasn’t a big fan of NFT before the project’s release. But he is known for his roles in movies like “Groundhog Day,” “Lost in Translation,” and “Zombieland.” In an interview with Decrypt, the actor’s son Jackson Murray, who is collaborating on the project, recalled that his father’s interest in digital properties arose from a proposal by the comedy and entertainment site The Chive. Therefore, with which Murray has been associated for a few years.
The actor has only one condition, something similar to his mission in life: it must be fun. He also hopes to set his project apart from other popular NFT collections on the market. By giving owners access and incentives, such as the chance to meet and interact with him directly.
In turn, the initiative is a window into the world of Murray. Who was heavily involved in its creation and extensively researched each story. The anecdotes are unprecedented, strange, and funny.
One of the donors told Decrypt that the project will maintain a philanthropic focus. Distributing “a very healthy portion” of its stimulus fund proceeds to various charities of Murray’s choosing.
Bill Murray NFT And the Scam That Left His Wallet Empty
After the NFT auction, a serious situation happened. On September 1, 2022, Murray saw 119.2 Ether disappear from his wallet. Statistics reveal that Murray’s wallet saw withdrawals of most of the tokens and NFTs.Thus leaving only around $556 worth of tokens.
The story was first reported by Coindesk. Which pointed to on-chain data, with Murray’s team explaining that his wallet emptied around (ET) Thursday night. Then comedian Bill Murray’s $186,000 wallet was stolen.
A large chunk of Murray’s wallet was reportedly transferred to another hacked wallet. Onchain data shows that Murray’s security team shut down blockchain assets. Like The Flower Girls NFT, Boss Beauties, Hashmasks, Adam Bomb Squad, Deadfellaz, Gutter Cat Gang. As well as, Cryptopunks, Veefriends, Cool Cats, Damien Hirst NFT, Pudgy Penguins, and Cryptoads.
The report did not reveal how the hackers managed to steal Ether from Murray’s wallet. Murray’s team reported that he filed a police report saying he was working with blockchain intelligence firm Chainalysis.
The Details of The Attack
A few hours after the auction, a cybercriminal began making transfers and emptied a large part of the wallet. According to CoinDesk, Murray’s team managed to block and protect around 800 NFTs from Murray’s collection. Therefore, the amount and losses may be even higher.
It was not possible to determine the method used to access Murray’s wallet. However, it is believed that someone gained access through a Coinbase leak.
They then allegedly transferred the stolen funds to wallet addresses associated with the Binance exchange and Unionchain.ai.
In addition to announcing the attack, they also announced a GoFundMe campaign to prevent and compensate for the theft. Chive Charities announced the success of the donation campaign to recover lost funds via Twitter
Meanwhile, Murray’s team, are working tirelessly to track down the suspected culprit. Along with law enforcement and cryptocurrency analytics firm Chainalysis.
This shows us that even the most recognizable celebrities can fall prey to cybercriminals. To learn more about NFT’s and how to secure them and cryptocurrencies, visit our site Mecanica Diesel