Here's a list of the priciest domain names in history:
1. lasvegas.com - $90,000,000 - The cost doesn't surprise me, but the site itself is mediocre, making me think the domain was overpriced.
2. carinsurance.com - $49,700,000 - While the website is clean, the domain name is a bit convoluted, which may have contributed to its high price.
3. insurance.com - $35,600,000 - The same buyer as number two bought this one, so they might be pushing up the value. The website itself is average.
4. privatejet.com - $30,200,000 - Are these buyers lacking creativity, paying exorbitant amounts for long domain names? Website's decent though.
5. voice.com - $30,000,000 - The domain name is excellent, but 30 million is a lot. My site didn't open, with the message "Not in your area..."
6. internet.com - $18,000,000 - It's the first on the list that might be worth the money! The site is a little insane.
7. 360.com - $17,000,000 - Seems questionable to me...the website is typical for the Chinese.
8. sеx.com - $14,500,000 - If you're reading this at work, don't click)) Allegedly resold for $13 million later. It's a good domain, I would've bought it myself, not sure why.
9. tesla.com - $11,000,000 - With all the buzz surrounding Musk and his ventures, it's a bit suspicious. The website is average, lacking visualizations. Check out Lebedev's studio instead (not an ad).
The remaining ones aren't as fascinating. There's a finite number of three-letter names, and they all come with quite the price tag (like zip.com at 1 million dollars). Despite longer-standing domain zones like .com, there's still uncharted territory to explore.
There are millions of domain names that have been sitting unused for years in the hopes of being sold for a profit. The moment a website with a theme is established on such a domain, its owners can expect immediate pushback from trademark or brand name holders.
Alternatively, some domains may simply sit dormant and unused for years. For instance, sеx.com is an example of such a domain.
In 2005, the owner of Cameras.com participated in an auction to sell the domain name. Notably, the auction was held in a hall and was organized by the infamous Moniker.com. Sig Solaris, then head of Parked.com, won the tender. Understanding the value of his purchase, Solaris paid $1.5 million for the photographic domain name, making Cameras.com one of the most expensive domains sold at live auctions. Currently, no resource is linked to the site.
Another fierce bidding war took place in 2008 for Fly.com. The victorious bidder was online travel company Travelzoo, which features offers from over 2,000 tourist entertainment companies worldwide. Interestingly, Travelzoo was founded in the late '90s with authorized capital of only $10,000. Nine years after purchasing Fly.com, the company sold the domain for $2.89 million and now operates Fly.com as a functional service for purchasing airfare.