The Central Park Gold Cube Was An NFT Publicity Stunt Worth $11.7 Million

Two days ago, a mysterious gold cube appeared in New York City's Central Park, which was estimated by HypeBeast to weigh over 400 pounds and be worth roughly $11.7 million. The sculpture, now dubbed the Central Park Gold Cube, was created by German artist Niclas Castello, who falls under the umbrella of modern conceptual art.

Having been in Central Park for only a day or two, the cube is already receiving meme attention and massive interest online in recent days.

New in NYC: A cube made from $11.7 million worth of solid gold is sitting in Central Park--and has its own security detail: https://t.co/DTsqhgCcbc pic.twitter.com/5kXUDSVnS9

— Artnet (@artnet) February 2, 2022

In an article from ArtNet, it's stated that the cube has special security and is also, as of February 4th, being stored in a building near Wall Street. But besides its physical location, ArtNet reported that Castello plans on making an accompanying NFT through his own cryptocurrency called "Castello Coin."

When the imagery and concept of the cube first broke on Twitter this week, meme creators hopped on, mostly joking about stealing the sculpture. Many online thought the security guards were hilarious, adding to the meme-worthy nature of it all. In fact, the proposed thievery from everyone got the attention of the developers behind the heist video game PAYDAY, who replied to the article via their Twitter.

This is 100% heistable. I’m putting together a crew https://t.co/Nz9N16wlva

— alan tudyk (@AlanTudyk) February 4, 2022

pic.twitter.com/XgFStxATYS

— wah (@LilRichardNixon) February 3, 2022

Okay but this legit sound like something an evil cartoon vilain would do 😭

— Mx. White (@Nayade_bleu) February 3, 2022

You can't eat gold, but you can eat butter.https://t.co/6PFCsFfvoX

— M'aya@FF14暁月の騎士 【海外｜PLD ナイト】 (@rolanberrypie) February 3, 2022

i wonder if this is like in minecraft where if you take this gold block a bunch of pigs will get mad at you https://t.co/Bb6o4tU0cx

— amine (@SKULLHORNETS) February 3, 2022

pic.twitter.com/7oTsZYMpkI

— Luke (@LPK319_) February 3, 2022

pic.twitter.com/hXwKeZYQ0J

— Marlin (@MarlinDotMom) February 3, 2022

pic.twitter.com/zijf86KLTq

— Tyler Crunch (@tylercrunch) February 3, 2022

we have the technology pic.twitter.com/ExaTKgWbAk

— ✨🛰️yr sputnik sweetheart 🛰️✨ (@maggiefern69) February 4, 2022

Twitter users also referenced New York's increasingly complicated problem with homelessness. Many were provoked by the solid gold cube's symbolism in relation to this. Others doubted that the cube was even worth as much as ArtNet claimed it was, citing their own evidence and deductive reasoning. The hype and controversy surrounding the gold cube got so much attention that brands like Velveeta even joined in, putting their own giant mac 'n' cheese box in Central Park to rival the contemporary art.

There’s homeless people who live in this park https://t.co/SKuvZ5qXO8

— Joe Santagato (@JoeSantagato) February 4, 2022

Exactly one week ago, the remains of a homeless man were found in a tent encampment in this same park. https://t.co/kLAMscYuOi

— Ej Dickson (@ejdickson) February 3, 2022

So what I’m hearing is: some asshole just dumped enough money to change a life into Central Park, one of few places you can enjoy yourself for FREE, where low income & unhoused people can see it, then put armed security around it to make sure they know it will never be for them. https://t.co/RDw05c79b8

— A. FLECK (@aimeefleck) February 3, 2022

I doubt it. $11.7 M of gold is 24 bars, which weighs 400 pounds.

Hard to tell dimensions from that photo, but that looks substantially larger than 24 bars.

Gold leaf around a cardboard box is more likely.

— Kevin Kehres (@kevin_kehres) February 3, 2022

LIQUID GOLD CUBE > SOLID GOLD CUBE. SERIOUSLY IT'S IN CENTRAL PARK GO CHECK IT OUT. https://t.co/AQqhqWuzPR pic.twitter.com/RmaxDtCpg7

— VELVEETA (@CheesyVelveeta) February 4, 2022

Other backlash levied against the cube centered on its association with an upcoming NFT project. As more anti-crypto trends emerge like Screenshotting NFTs and NFT Stands For, the gold cube only added to this growing hatred. Many people wondered who would buy the JPEG of this gold cube. Others felt cheated for being a part of an NFT-based publicity stunt.

I'm selling an NFT of a photo of this gold cube for $11.6 million. https://t.co/ThUh7BcAcd

— Jon Gabriel (@exjon) February 4, 2022

Someone had this $11.7 million cube of gold made as an ad for his NFT or something. The dude really said I'm going to be horrible in the new way AND the old fashioned way. https://t.co/DXoZyrMJJh

— Kevin Temmer (@KevinTemmer) February 3, 2022

okay so the gold cube is obviously an NFT thing because “solid cube” + intrinsic value right but also a hollow cube pretending to be solid to inflate its own value is a perfect metaphor beyond the grasp of both artist and intended audience

— spooky scary squirrel dens (@keisisqrl) February 4, 2022

if putting a gold cube in central park to advertise your upcoming nft isn't "art", well, I just don't know what is true anymore

— Jeff Mac (@JeffMacIsHere) February 4, 2022

Gold Cube update:
1) It was only on display for one day.
2) It was NFT publicity.
3) If I'm doing the math correctly, it was about 6 millimeters thick. "Solid gold" my ass.
4) It was removed to a private dinner party on Wall Street. I hope they weighed it before and after.

— nebulousmenace (@nebulousmenace) February 4, 2022

Besides also being smaller in person, the gold cube disappointed people in various ways. Compared to the precursor 2020 Metal Monoliths, this latest addition to the abstract, public art sphere wasn't nearly as mysterious.

LMAO it's so much smaller than it looks in that picture pic.twitter.com/Hj14Xn69zL

— fag daughter (@DiodeLass) February 3, 2022