BOSTON (AP) — The last remaining unsolved coded message integrated into the renowned Kryptos sculpture at the CIA headquarters in Virginia has recently fetched nearly $1 million at auction, as announced by the auction house RR Auction of Boston. The archive was secured for a staggering $963,000 by an anonymous bidder.
As part of the deal, the winning bidder will receive a private meeting with the 80-year-old artist, Jim Sanborn, allowing them to discuss the codes, charts, and his creative approach behind the notorious fourth message, known as K-4. Since its dedication in 1990, Kryptos has intrigued both experts and enthusiasts, with only three of its four encrypted messages successfully decoded.
Sanborn, who created a myriad of public sculptures, has nurtured an ongoing dialogue with cryptography fans over the years. For the past two decades, one individual has persistently attempted to decipher K-4, leading Sanborn to initially charge submissions for insights. Eventually, he opted to auction off the complete archive, hoping that the new owner would continue to engage with the Kryptos community and maintain its mysteries.
The structure itself resembles a paper sheet emerging from a fax machine, designed with staggered alphabets critical for decoding its messages. Although Sanborn previously nearly halted the auction in September after two enthusiasts discovered some of his original scrambled texts, the sale proceeded without a hitch.
The essential distinction is that they discovered it. They did not decipher it. They do not have the key. They don’t have the method with which it’s deciphered, Sanborn remarked regarding the previous findings. The purchaser is currently devising a long-term stewardship plan for the valuable archive, ensuring its legacy continues.
As part of the deal, the winning bidder will receive a private meeting with the 80-year-old artist, Jim Sanborn, allowing them to discuss the codes, charts, and his creative approach behind the notorious fourth message, known as K-4. Since its dedication in 1990, Kryptos has intrigued both experts and enthusiasts, with only three of its four encrypted messages successfully decoded.
Sanborn, who created a myriad of public sculptures, has nurtured an ongoing dialogue with cryptography fans over the years. For the past two decades, one individual has persistently attempted to decipher K-4, leading Sanborn to initially charge submissions for insights. Eventually, he opted to auction off the complete archive, hoping that the new owner would continue to engage with the Kryptos community and maintain its mysteries.
The structure itself resembles a paper sheet emerging from a fax machine, designed with staggered alphabets critical for decoding its messages. Although Sanborn previously nearly halted the auction in September after two enthusiasts discovered some of his original scrambled texts, the sale proceeded without a hitch.
The essential distinction is that they discovered it. They did not decipher it. They do not have the key. They don’t have the method with which it’s deciphered, Sanborn remarked regarding the previous findings. The purchaser is currently devising a long-term stewardship plan for the valuable archive, ensuring its legacy continues.
