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Re:Bitcoins Are Digital Collectibles, Not Real Money by zeteo on Friday April 12, 2013 @03:15PM (#5540465)
The comparison is obviously to a single type of item. Say "Mauser HSc, excellent condition, provenience unknown". But there's no reason why individual bitcoins can't acquire additional value once history accrues to them. Let's say celebrity X publicly buys a bitcoin and spends it in a well-publicized event. People will probably bid extra to acquire this "famous" bitcoin afterwards.
Re:Bitcoins Are Digital Collectibles, Not Real Money by jondtaylor on Friday April 12, 2013 @04:00PM (#5540670)
I may be mistaken but I don't think Bitcoins (the units themselves) have an identity like that only wallets are entities. It's similar to how a celebrity would drink water and water would be worth more than the rest. Once the debit and credit occurs who is to say which coins are from what source...
Re:Bitcoins Are Digital Collectibles, Not Real Money by TylerE on Friday April 12, 2013 @03:18PM (#5540477)
Bitcoin doesn't work like that. There isn't some sort of serial number assigned, or anything.
Re:Bitcoins Are Digital Collectibles, Not Real Money by zeteo on Friday April 12, 2013 @03:28PM (#5540526)
Each bitcoin has an attached chain of transactions. If it's a matter of public record that a certain address belonged to say, Stephen Colbert, then you can definitely brag that you own Colbert's bitcoin. (That he donated to the Libertarian Party or something.)
Re:Bitcoins Are Digital Collectibles, Not Real Money by sageikosa on Friday April 12, 2013 @03:49PM (#5540614)
While it may be possible to value BitCoins that way, that's not the driving force behind current price tracking, any more than a 1933 double eagle or 1804 silver dollar affects the price of gold or silver.
Re:Bitcoins Are Digital Collectibles, Not Real Money by zeteo on Friday April 12, 2013 @04:05PM (#5540688)
I'm not saying BitCoins are currently used this way. It was just a thought experiment to prove they can acquire extra value from association with particular people or events. Just like other collectibles.
Re:Bitcoins Are Digital Collectibles, Not Real Money by jondtaylor on Friday April 12, 2013 @04:02PM (#5540682)
I don't think this is the case. My understanding is that wallets have transactions attached.
Re:Bitcoins Are Digital Collectibles, Not Real Money by glomph on Sunday April 14, 2013 @09:34AM (#5546855)
There is actually quite a bit of discussion into 'coloured' bitcoins, which would basically work exactly like that.