Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01222
Documentation absent — Coinbase (2024)
SurvivesCase description
A 2024 case involved a Florida holder who had purchased Bitcoin on Coinbase in 2017 and transferred it to a paper wallet using bitaddress.org, then laminated the paper wallet and placed it in a bank safe deposit box. In 2024 the holder discovered that the lamination process had caused the ink on the printed private key to partially transfer to the inside of the laminate and partially fade from the paper itself, leaving both surfaces partially readable. A specialist was able to reconstruct the private key by combining the partial data from both surfaces of the laminate and using error correction to fill gaps in the WIF-encoded private key format.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Documentation absent |
| Custody system | Hardware wallet (single key) |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2024 |
| Country | United States |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Privately Reported
Evidence type
News article
Related cases involving documentation absent
193 cases involve documentation absent
274 cases involve hardware wallet (single key)
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This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents.
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Framework references
Where Bitcoin Custody Intersects Legal and Fiduciary Authority
Where custody creates gaps in estate planning, fiduciary duty, and professional responsibility.
Professional Scope Boundary Matrix
What each professional or product covers, what they do not, and where gaps form between them.
The Independent Assessment Layer in Bitcoin Custody
How independent diagnostic layers emerge when multiple parties depend on shared infrastructure.
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