Funny Nature & Travel Art & Stage Going Viral Science Greetings Inspirational

Edit Profile Recently Viewed Favorites

Main > Going Viral > Baba Recommends

One Red Paperclip

Edited By: Jonathan B.

Font Size:

A+ A-

On July 14, 2005, a Canadian blogger by the name of Kyle McDonald used his blog to trade a single, red paperclip for a fish-shaped pen. The idea was to try and always trade up, inspired by the game “Bigger, Better”. Kyle’s blog started getting attention, and his trade up idea became famous. The pen, however, was not his last trade:

One Paperclip Is Worth as Much as a Home

Source

On the same day, Kyle traded the pen for a hand-sculpted doorknob.
On July 25, 2005, Kyle traveled to Seattle and traded the doorknob for a Coleman camp stove.
Two months late, on September 25, Kyle drove to California to trade the stove for a Honda generator.
On November 16, 2005, he traded the generator for an “instant party” kit, which included: an empty beer keg, an IOU (I owe you) note promising to fill up the keg with the owner’s choice of beer, and a neon Budweiser sign.

One Paperclip Is Worth as Much as a Home

The “Instant party” was traded for a snowmobile on December 8, 2005. The previous owner was Canadian comedian and radio personality named Michel Barrette.
It took him less than a week to trade the snowmobile for a 2-person trip to British Columbia.
Come January 7, 2006, Kyle traded the trip for a cube van.
The cube van was traded for a recording contract on February 22, 2006.

After two months, Kyle traded the contract for a year’s rent in Arizona.
Two weeks after that, he traded the year’s rent for an afternoon with artist Alice Cooper.
Exactly one month later, on May 26, 2006, the afternoon was traded for a KISS motorized snow globe.
A week later, he traded the motorized snow globe for a role in the movie “Donna on Demand”.
Finally, on July 5, 2006, almost one year after first traded his red paperclip, Kyle McDonald traded his movie role for a 2-story farmhouse in Saskatchewan.

Source

The moral of this story is that the worth of things is subjective, and a single paperclip can sometimes be as valuable as a house.

Like Next Post Send Share WhatsApp

Copy Link

Did you mean:

Continue With: Facebook Google

By continuing, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy

Report copyright infringement

Print this content

You may also like:

Baba Recommends

These 24 Fascinating Photographs Will Surprise & Amaze You

Here are 24 of the most amazing and surprising photographs ever seen on the internet!

Travel

15 Little Known Wonders of the World You Need to Visit

Add 15 more locations to your bucket list, with this guide to 15 less known, but no less wonderful, wonders of the world.

Science and Technology

WATCH: 10 Human Body Facts That'll Stun Your Senses

The human body is simply amazing. These 10 facts will leave you open mouthed and awed.

Baba Recommends

23 Extraordinary Vision Facts That'll Open Your Eyes Wide

The eye is an amazing body part, but did you know how amazing? These 23 facts will open your eyes to the extraordinary truth.

Science and Technology

Have a Look at the Real Beauty of Mathematics!

There are Some Great Secrets Found in Mathematics...

Numbers hold some great secrets - they even tell us about life!

Baba Recommends

A House Locked Away for a Century. What Was Found Inside?

Sealed for a century, this house was just reopened, and with it a window to another place and time.

Recipes & Drinks

Rescuing a Dish That's Too Salty, Too Spicy, or Too Bland

Here is your rescue guide for the three most common kitchen disaster - food too salty, too bland or too spicy.

Art

Age of Aquarius With Full Orchestra and Choir

5:37

Ever Hear the Classical Version of Age of Aquarius?

Experience the iconic music of Hair like never before! In this electrifying video, the Madrid Metropolitan Orchestra and the Talía Choir

Send Comment

Related Topics: amazing, interesting, house, human story, Paperclip, Trade

Quizzes

Cold-Environment Animal Trivia Quiz

This 12-question challenge will test your knowledge of the frozen wild. Bundle up, grab a warm drink, and let's see if you have what it takes to survive the cold!

Wars of the 21st Century

Before you are 15 questions. From the Middle East to Eastern Europe and beyond, how well do you remember the battles, alliances, and turning points that defined warfare in our time?

Science Quiz 2026

Whether you're a casual observer or a dedicated basement theorist, prepare to have your common sense challenged. Let’s begin!

Most popular in Baba Recommends

These Photos Prove How Strange of a Country South Korea Is

The following images illustrate how strange of a place Korea is.

Ukrainian-Russian War: A review of 2024's impact in the War

The year 2024 saw the Russia-Ukraine war grind on into a second full year, marked by intense fighting on multiple fronts, high-stakes diplomatic initiatives, and a worsening humanitarian toll.

Full Documentary: The History of Halloween

59:00

The History Behind Halloween Isn't Quite What You Think...

If you've ever wondered what the origin of Halloween is and what all the fuss about pumpkins, fancy dress, and trick-or-treating is all about, then you should definitely give this documentary a watch.

10 Fascinating History Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

In this article, we collected 10 absolutely fascinating historical facts, many of which touch upon the unexpected origins of concepts like New Year's resolutions.

These 20 Vintage Images Will Take You Way Back In Time

As digital images continue to take over, vintage images seem to take on much more significance and wonder. These 20 images will take you back to a bygone eta.