Maradona NFT: ColossalBit wins pen used by legendary footballer for Napoli contract signing

The S.T. DuPont pen and its NFT garnered the highest bid among the four platinum-tier memorabilia that were auctioned at the VIP-only, pre-launch event.

ColossalBit, a Dubai-based NFT Consultancy, Design and Development company specialising in blockchain, cryptocurrencies, DeFi, and NFTs, made the winning bid for the S.T. DuPont pen that football legend Diego Maradona used in 1984 when he signed the contract for Italian football team Napoli.

The auction for the original pen and its NFT was organized by EX Sports Starz and partners on October 30 — on what would have been the late star’s 60th birthday.

​“Legends do not come bigger than Diego Armando Maradona. Every football fan, across age groups, remembers him for the finesse he brought to the pitch and the charm he exuded off it. The NFTs of his memorabilia will immortalize him and keep his legacy alive. For the love of football and “the Golden Boy” Maradona, we pulled all stops to secure the pen he used to sign for Napoli — a team in which he recorded his highest goal tally,” said Ciro Arianna, Co-Founder and CEO of ColossalBit.

Nearly a year after Maradona’s passing, his estate had tokenised ten items from the Argentine star’s illustrious career. These included the S.T. DuPont pen, a signed shirt from the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, a signed freestyle football, and Maradona’s best-player trophy from the FIFA Youth World Cup in 1979. All items were certified as official by World Soccer Treasurers, and Maradona’s estate legally authorized their name and usage rights.

The S.T. DuPont pen and its NFT garnered the highest bid among the four platinum-tier memorabilia that were auctioned at the VIP-only, pre-launch event. The NFTs in the platinum tier were sold alongside their original, physical memorabilia, while the remaining six gold-tier ones were made available to the general public after the launch on November 14.

The three other platinum-tier NFTs were purchased by Miroslav Neceda, Co-owner of Czech digital marketing agency Avedeo.ae and CEO of Blockchain Universe bcuniverse.io. Miroslav is also the CEO of the Dubai-based World Blockchain Union, which handles marketing for various blockchain-centric businesses across the world.

“It is the platforms like EX Sports Starz and enthusiasts such as Matthies Mende, Ralf Glabischnig, Miroslav Neceda, and Evan Klassen who make the world of NFTs fun and meaningful. We are all joined in our shared belief of a marketplace that is inclusive, transparent, and lucrative. NFTs have also found an admirer in Dubai, where we are mobilizing a blockchain movement. ColossalBit will continue to lead the NFT charge in the region,” added Ciro Arianna. — business@khaleejtimes.com