Welcome to CNET Top 5 where each time we meet we count down another hot scene of list, I’m Tom Merritt.
Domain names are sometimes seen as a way to get rich quick, strike a new hit like rocking squirrels.com. Right it’s the rocking squirrel’s crazy hits and you can make bank or so the theory goes. Not that many folks have really—in selling domain names but a if you have, let’s count down, the Top 5 most expensive domain names.
At number five, business.com. In the boom time of 1999, it became the Guinness book record holder for most expensive domain names. Jake Winebaum and Sky Dayton may have felt dumb during the bus for paying $7.5 million for a domain but for more domains at least would sell for more in the following decade.
Coming at number four, porn.com. That seems obvious that it was on the list but it’s sold for only $9.5 million in 2007. I think we should have seen the recession coming right then in there.
Up to number three, fund.com. On March 12, 2008, ‘Clark Media’ reported that fund.com and sold for 50 bucks shy of $10 million just in time for people to lose all their funds. Nice timing guys.
Flying in at number two, poker.com. This is one of the most mysterious domain name transactions. It was sold at silent auction and reported as being anywhere from 10 up to $20 million. And we don’t even know who bought it at this point but they must have had a truly remarkable poker face.
Before we get to number one, time for another lame giveaway. This Belkin water bottle goes to one of the first 10 people that go to the posting for this top 5 at blog.cnettv.com and correctly answered this question. How much did beer.com sell for? The price can also be a whole beer.
Alright, let’s get to our number one, the most expensive domain name. At number one, it’s sex.com. Well, you probably had guessed that or something similar. In January 2006, it sold for a $11 million dollars although some reports—up to 14 million and that after a long court battle to determine who really owned it. But now that we’ve seen all this millions of dollars flowing to this domain names, ask yourself, “How many of these have you visited this week or even this month? Are domain names really worth that much money?”
Well, that’s it for this edition of CNET Top 5. We should note that some domains have been solved in private and so there maybe some secret domain name transactions that solved for even more than the ones we counted down here. I guess we’ll never know. Go to blog.cnettv.com to try to win the water or beer bottle. I’m Tom Merritt, see you next time.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services