Part of the CustodyStress archive of observed Bitcoin custody incidents
CS-00642
Upon recovery they could recall most but not all 24 words.
SurvivesCase description
A user who had memorised their seed phrase was involved in a serious accident in March 2019 resulting in temporary amnesia. Upon recovery they could recall most but not all 24 words. A professional recovery service used the partial seed to enumerate the missing words over several weeks.
Custody context
| Stress condition | Seed phrase unavailable |
| Custody system | Mobile or software wallet |
| Outcome | Survives |
| Documentation | Unknown |
| Year observed | 2019 |
| Country | Unknown |
Structural dependencies observed
Outcome interpretation
Access remained possible under the reported conditions.
Source
Publicly Reported
Evidence type
Forum post
Evidence link
Related cases involving seed phrase unavailable
146 cases involve seed phrase unavailable
572 cases involve mobile or software wallet
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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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