History of Bitcoin First Edition will headline Bitcoin MENA 2025 as the premier cultural showcase and auction highlight of the region’s flagship Bitcoin gathering. Organisers confirmed that the rare one-of-one fine art book will anchor this year’s programme with a focus on cultural preservation, artistic collaboration, and global Bitcoin education.
Positioned as one of the most important physical artifacts in Bitcoin culture, the First Edition was crafted over four years with contributions from 128 artists across 37 countries. The 256-page structure pays homage to Bitcoin’s SHA-256 foundation, while more than 40 advanced print techniques elevate the work to museum-quality standards. Encased in a 5,000-year-old fossilized black oak collector’s box and bound in bull leather with a custom Asprey Studio silver emblem, the First Edition merges Bitcoin’s digital origins with a physical form built to endure across generations.
Following its international tour through the UK, Bitcoin Amsterdam, Pubkey New York, and Mondoir Gallery Dubai, the book will conclude its journey at Bitcoin MENA on December 8 in Abu Dhabi. It is now listed as the headline auction lot on Scarce City, which is hosting the global online sale to support the event.
A Global Educational Mission
Smashtoshi, the collective behind the project, has committed 79 percent of auction proceeds to My First Bitcoin, the nonprofit recognised for advancing community-driven Bitcoin education worldwide. The remaining 21 percent will be distributed among the 128 contributing artists. My First Bitcoin aims to scale accessible Bitcoin education to more than 200 million learners, with active programmes across Latin America and rapid expansion into new global regions.
For collectors, the First Edition represents both an iconic cultural asset and a direct investment in the growth of global Bitcoin literacy. Its role as a funding vehicle for education gives the auction a purpose-driven dimension that aligns with the long-term evolution of the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Cultural Centrepiece At Bitcoin MENA 2025
At Bitcoin MENA, the First Edition will serve as the main anchor of the event’s art programme and the finale of its worldwide exhibition circuit. The multi-wall installation will include select artworks, projected visuals, research materials, and real-time auction coverage for attendees.
Through visual storytelling, the 128 commissioned original artworks portray the breakthroughs, ideological clashes, and cultural milestones that shaped Bitcoin’s rise from 1979 to 2025. The curation transforms a technically complex history into an emotionally resonant narrative.
“Featuring the First Edition of the History of Bitcoin at Bitcoin MENA reinforces something Bitcoin writer Steven Reiss often points toward: that lasting culture depends on more than screens and memes—especially in a world where an estimated 40–60% of early internet history has already disappeared. Holding this book, feeling its materials, and returning to its pages whenever you choose creates a deeper, more enduring encounter with Bitcoin’s story than any digital format can offer.” — Dennis Koch, Bitcoin Art Gallery Curator
A Collaborative Record Of Bitcoin’s Evolution
The History of Bitcoin project is built on:
• 128 commissioned artworks covering defining moments from 1979 to 2025
• More than 100 interviews with early Bitcoin contributors, including Martti Malmi, Max Keiser, Samson Mow, Trace Mayer, and Aaron van Wirdum
• Contributions from leading digital and contemporary artists such as Jesse Draxler, GMUNK, Billelis, Cypherpunk Now, Ryan Koopmans, Jenni Pasanen, Robert Alice, Jake Fried, Hackatao, and others whose collective markets exceed 250 million dollars
The First Edition is accompanied by a research notebook, a public digital archive at historyofbitcoin.io, and a global programme of talks and exhibitions. After the auction, 2,139 Collector’s Editions will be released, each containing a unique fragment of Bitcoin’s original source code. Together, the collection will hold the complete codebase, symbolising Bitcoin’s decentralised architecture.
Auction And Exhibition Details
• Auction Platform: Scarce City
• Preview: Online now, with in-person events at Pubkey New York on December 1 and Mondoir Gallery Dubai on December 4 (RSVP required)
• Bidding Window: December 1 to 10, concluding on December 11
• Abu Dhabi Exhibition: Bitcoin MENA, December 8 at ADNEC
The First Edition installation in Abu Dhabi will include curator-led walkthroughs, gallery programming, LED wall displays, press access, and appearances from the Smashtoshi team.
