Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-01200
The wallet device was still operational and the PIN known.
ConstrainedCase description
A hardware wallet user who had stamped their seed phrase on a metal backup plate discovered in 2023 that the plate had been stored in a box that was accidentally sold at a garage sale three years prior. The wallet device was still operational and the PIN known. A recovery service was not needed: the user could still transact normally via the device. However, the absence of the seed phrase backup meant any device failure would result in permanent loss. The user transferred all funds to a new wallet with a properly documented seed phrase.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Seed phrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Hardware wallet (single key) |
| Outcome | Constrained |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2023 |
| Country | International |
What this illustrates
Without the seed phrase, the wallet couldn't be restored — on any device, ever. Whether full access was ultimately possible is unclear, but significant delay or outside intervention was involved.
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible, but only with delay, dependence, or significant difficulty.
Source
Privately Reported
Evidence type
News article
Related cases involving seed phrase unavailable
146 cases involve seed phrase unavailable
274 cases involve hardware wallet (single key)
View archive statistics →
This archive documents observed custody survivability failures. It does not attempt to document all Bitcoin losses or security incidents.
Submit a case
← All cases
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.
Translate