Early Miner's 2010 Estimate: Mining 50 BTC Block Costed $5.68 in Electricity

A Bitcoin forum post from September 2010 resurfaced in 2026, showing an early miner's estimated electricity bill for mining a 50 BTC block was $5.68.

The miner, identified as TTBit, measured their computer using 140 watts and producing about 2,200 kilohashes per second, with an average wait time of 338 hours or roughly 14 days to find a valid block.

Using a mining calculator, the estimated electricity cost was approximately $5.68 at $0.12 per kilowatt-hour.

TTBit called this 'a net loser,' but it's essential to note that finding a block doesn't guarantee a miner will receive a subsidy; it's a probability contest.