In the wake of the transformation from Twitter to “X,” Elon Musk has unveiled a unique auction featuring an array of Twitter relics and memorabilia. Embracing a fresh vision for the social media giant, Musk is shedding the vestiges of the platform’s prior identity established during the tenures of Jack Dorsey and later Parag Agrawal. The shift is resounding—Twitter is out, X is in. This metamorphosis is exemplified by the temporary placement of a massive X logo atop the San Francisco headquarters and the substantial removal of the former Twitter branding from the website. Notably, the Twitter Blue subscription service has evolved into X Premium.Musk’s latest endeavor involves the auctioning of vintage Twitter artifacts, notably including a range of blue bird-themed items. Capitalizing on the power of auctions as a fundraising mechanism, a tactic previously employed in January 2023, Musk is partnering once again with auctioneers Heritage Global Partners.
Scheduled to commence on September 12 and conclude on September 14, the “Twitter Rebranding: Online Auction Featuring Memorabilia” boasts an impressive collection of over 600 items. Among the highlights are the Twitter Bird Wood Coffee table, the Twitter Bid Neon Marquee Light sign, the Blue Room Neon Sign, the Hashtag Marquee light, and even acoustic guitars. Beyond these, the offering extends to encompass office furniture, kitchen appliances, and iMacs.Of particular note is a captivating painting capturing Ellen DeGeneres’s iconic 2014 Oscar selfie alongside Bradley Cooper, Meryl Streep, and Lupita Nyong’o. This self-portrait, which shattered retweeting records and caused momentary platform crashes, saw 80,000 retweets in three minutes and surpassed a million within an hour.
The bidding for the diverse array of items is slated to kick off at a modest $25 base price, with expectations of a significant increase as enthusiastic bidders vie for ownership. This auction mirrors Musk’s earlier initiative earlier this year, where he auctioned Twitter office artifacts. This maneuver, conducted in tandem with the company’s cost-cutting measures and restructuring efforts, yielded substantial returns, with a single Twitter blue bird relic fetching an impressive $100,000 (equivalent to approximately Rs 82 lakhs).In a testament to Musk’s ongoing strategic initiatives, this auction serves as an emblematic step forward as the “X” era continues to unfold. The sale of these memorabilia items not only contributes to the financial landscape of the venture but also solidifies the shift from Twitter’s history to the promising future heralded by “X.”
