Approximately 12 years ago, a programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz from Florida had a craving for pizza. He decided to purchase two pizzas using Bitcoin, making it the first recorded real-world use of cryptocurrency.
On May 18, 2010, Hanyecz posted on the Bitcointalk.org forum expressing his intention to buy two large pizzas with Bitcoin. He offered 10,000 Bitcoin to anyone who could fulfill the order and deliver it to him.
Later that day, a user named "ender x" responded to the forum post, commenting that 10,000 Bitcoin seemed like a substantial amount for just two pizzas and wishing Hanyecz luck in his quest for "free pizza." Five days later, on May 22, 2010, at 7:17 p.m., Hanyecz shared a picture of the pizzas he bought along with a message stating, "I just wanted to announce that I exchanged 10,000 bitcoins for pizza."
This event documented the first-ever purchase of a tangible item using Bitcoin. In Jacksonville, Florida, there is even a plaque at Papa John's commemorating this historic transaction, reading, "Papa John's. Famous Bitcoin pizza makers. May 22, 2010."
Since then, the price of Bitcoin has skyrocketed, and the 10,000 Bitcoin Hanyecz spent on the pizzas is now valued at around $291,305,000. While Hanyecz couldn't have anticipated the current value of Bitcoin, his intention was simply to exchange pizza for Bitcoin, and he achieved just that.
Bitcoin Pizza Day, celebrated on May 22, has become a notable event for Bitcoin enthusiasts worldwide. People from every continent commemorate this day by purchasing pizza and sharing it with family and friends, resembling a sort of religious ceremony for the day when a Floridian introduced Bitcoin through a pizza purchase.
Here are some intriguing facts about Bitcoin Pizza Day:
1. At the time of purchase, 10,000 Bitcoins were worth only $41.
2. Hanyecz didn't stop at two pizzas; he continued buying pizzas using Bitcoin.
3. Hanyecz had to wait four days to receive his pizza order. 4.
Another participant in the transaction, Jeremy "Jercos", didn't hold onto his Bitcoin for long.
5. Initially, Bitcoin Pizza Day wasn't widely observed until it gained popularity in 2014.
6. Bitcoin Pizza Day wasn't the first Bitcoin-related holiday; it followed "Satoshi Disappear Day" in 2011.
Instead of mocking Hanyecz for his pizza purchase, we should recognize the historical significance of this event. It marked the first time Bitcoin gained market value, and Hanyecz played a crucial role in introducing Bitcoin to the mainstream. Bitcoin represents a unifying force worldwide, transcending gender and race, and offers a liberating alternative to the devaluing financial system.