Domain Names are a bit of a hard topic for many people. These are the ‘Online Plots of Land’ which you purchase in order to place a structure/building on it (Website/Service). These online Addresses can be hand registered for as little as $0.99 (for the first year) sometimes, but can also be bought if someone has a domain name that you like. Personally, I have bought many domains over the years and my portfolio currently stands at over 90 domain names and counting. Some domains are worth more than others. Some are worth $Millions and other domains are worthless ($0!). But I’ve put together a list of Top 10 Most Expensive Domains Ever to be Sold:
Most Expensive Domain Names:
10. Porn.com – $9.5 Million (2007)
In 2007, the adult industry-standard word sold for a cool $9.5 Million. Kids look away now…
First Registered: 19th August 1995
Age: 21 Years*
9. Hotels.com – $11 Million (2001)
Way back in 2001, Hotels.com sold for an eight-digit sum of $11 Million. That’s an expensive stay!
First Registered: 30th March 1994
Age: 23 Years*
8. Sex.com – $14 Million (Nov 2014)
Another Adult Industry favourite, the LLL.com sold for a staggering $14 Million. If you’re uner the age of 18, don’t type that into your browser window…
First Registered: 18th October 1995
Age: 21 Years*
7. Fund.com – £9.99 Million (2008)
Do you need a homepage for your Hedgefund? Why not invest half of your liquid assets into a gTLD name then that you can use to advertise your fund? That’s apparently what someone did, by purchasing the domain Fund.com for £9.99 Million back in 2008.
First Registered: 29th September 1994
Age: 22 Years*
6. Insure.com – $16 Million (2009)
Insure.com is a shorter alternative to the world record holder Insurance.com, just 55% cheaper. For once, a shorter name isn’t the better option!
First Registered: 19th August 1995
Age: 21 Years*
5. 360.com – $17 Million (2015)
What’s the most expensive number only domain? Well, this NNN.com is worth a whopping $16 Million and is the world’s most expensive NNN.com gTLD. Guess it’s the perfect domain for VR technology as it’s a 360-degree domain (if you get what I mean). It currently redirects to 360.cn
First Registered: 10th November 1994
Age: 22 Years*
4. Internet.com – $18 Million (2009)
The domain that goes down to the root of where it all began. The Internet, the very essence of what the domain is, therefore, serves as an address on the internet. That’s why it’s no wonder that this gem sold for a whopping $18 Million.
First Registered: 7th May 1997
Age: 19 Years*
3. PrivateJet.com – $30.18 Million (2012)
We all know how expensive Private Jets are, so no wonder that this keyword based domain sold for an incredible $30.18 Million back in 2012. If I had the money for a private jet, then I’d probably buy the domain myslf.
First Registered: 7th August 1996
Age: 20 Years*
2. VacationRentals.com – $35 Million (2007)
Everyone wants a good vacation, and apparently the seller of this gTLD had just the opportunity. For the $35 Million that he sold it for, he could go on quite a holidy!
First Registered: 14th May 1997
Age: 19 Years*
1. Insurance.com – $35.6 Million (2010)
And finally the industry with the most money. The insurance industry is filled with money as costs of insurance rise, there’s more and more money being gathered within the companies. Maybe the Record Breaking $35.6 Million Digital Asset should be insured itself? What do you think of this domain?
First Registered: 30th June 1994
Age: 22 Years*
Conclusion
Domain names are somewhat of a niche investment, many people have lost money on these investments and other multiplied their capital by a factor of thousands. One thing that really stands out at me is the fact that all of these sales are on the .com gTLD, making a point in a way that other gTLDs aren’t worth as much, but that’s not a major issue for all people. In fact, I’m going to put together a list soon on the most expensive ccTLDs (Country Code TLD) to ever be sold. Now that you’ve seen the most expensive domain sales, go out there and make your .com Fortune!
* All Data Accurate at the Time of Writing
