December 21, Aguttes will auction the world’s first SMS, sent in 1992. It will be offered in the form of a unique certified digital token — an NFT — estimated to fetch between €100,000 and €200,000. The very first text message, a simple “Merry Christmas," was sent on December 3, 1992, by Neil Papworth, an employee of a British computer company, to Vodafone director, Richard Jarvis. It was not until the following year that the first cell phone capable of sending and receiving text messages, made by Nokia, was released. This first, historic SMS will be sold to the highest bidder in the form of an NFT guaranteeing its exclusive nature. Vodafone has committed not to produce any other NFTs of this SMS in the future. The lot will include a replica of the original communication protocol of the first SMS, as well as a visual featuring the cell phone that received the message and an animation displaying a replica of the text.

Did you know the world's #1stSMS was a simple "Merry Christmas"? Sent 30 years ago via the #Vodafone network, it's been transformed into a #NFT by @vodafone_de, so it can be auctioned to raise funds for our partners at #UNHCR, helping to build a better future for @refugees. pic.twitter.com/NDis7WEHxC
— Vodafone Foundation (@VodafoneFdn) December 14, 2021

The auction, held by Aguttes, will take place in Neuilly-sur-Seine on the outskirts of Paris, and will be open to bidders from around the world. It will be held on December 21, 2021, at 3pm local time.

Recently, an NFT based on the first edit of the online encyclopedia Wikipedia sold at Christie’s for $750,000.

World's First-ever SMS Wishing ‘Merry Christmas' Up for Auction as an NFT

The very first text message, a simple 'Merry Christmas,' was sent on December 3, 1992, by Neil Papworth, an employee of a British computer company, to Vodafone director, Richard Jarvis.