A pigeon-delivered internet packet just drew a $4,000 bid at Christie's

For executives and founders, the auction is a reminder that cultural artifacts from the early internet are becoming an asset class of their own. Historical proof of radical experimentation, even failed or absurd experiments, can carry unexpected market value. The pigeon packet never became a viable networking technology, but it became a story, and stories compound. As more companies build their histories around hacks, launches, and improbable technical feats, the same logic that pushed this lot past its estimate could apply to the artifacts sitting in a company's own storage: old code, early prototypes, and internal memos from pivotal moments. The punchline is the price: a comedy RFC, executed by hobbyists with pigeons, is now outperforming many conventional collectibles at auction.