**Most Expensive NFT Transactions of 2023: Sky-High Sales Amid Market Downturn**

2023 has been dubbed the "winter" year for the NFT market. The prices of top blue-chip projects have plummeted alarmingly: BAYC floor price declined over 57% throughout the year; MAYC dropped as much as 65%; Azuki also couldn't escape, falling 50%; even legendary CryptoPunks suffered, with a 14% decrease.

Despite the overall market downturn, several record-breaking NFT sales occurred throughout the year. Behind these high-value transactions, is it institutional bottom-fishing, or the last stubborn stand of veteran players?

**Blue-Chip Projects Changing Hands at High Prices**

CryptoPunks 5066 sold for 857 ETH (about $1.9 million), making it the most expensive NFT of 2023. Its uniqueness lies in being the only smiling zombie punk in the entire series, wearing a knitted scarf and earrings. This rare combination of attributes supported its sky-high price.

BAYC 7090 followed closely, selling for 800 ETH (about $1.77 million). Two other pieces from this series also made the top ten: BAYC 1734 sold for 600 ETH (about $1.33 million); BAYC 4980 changed hands at 530 ETH (about $1.17 million); and BAYC 5116 closed at 440 ETH (about $970,000).

**The Comeback of Art NFTs**

In the context of blue-chip projects collectively declining, generative art NFTs like Fidenza 545 broke into the top three with a sale price of 625 ETH (about $1.38 million), demonstrating the market’s strong interest in rare artistic attributes.

**Multiple Large Transactions in the Punk Camp**

CryptoPunks are not only represented by the smiling zombie at the top. CryptoPunk 7458 sold for 600 ETH; CryptoPunk 3307 for 500 ETH (about $1.11 million); and CryptoPunk 8351 for 550 ETH (about $1.22 million). This indicates that even in a bear market, rare units within the Punk series maintain strong value support.

**High-Price Records for MAYC**

MAYC 30002 sold for 500 ETH, marking the highest-priced transaction in the series for 2023.

From the data, while the top NFT transactions of 2023 involved huge sums, they could not hide the overall market struggles — most holders endured a year of depreciation. These record-breaking sales more reflect the resilience of a very small number of rare collectibles and the strategic bottom-fishing by major players.