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Bitcoin in 2009 was just a 'digital experiment' in Satoshi Nakamoto's paper; there were hardly any players on the entire network, no exchanges, and no price anchors. The core of buying coins was not 'trading,' but rather mining, and storage was the raw operation of grappling with 'code and private keys.'
Step one: Secure the acquisition of Bitcoin—mining is the only way.
In 2009, there were no Bitcoin exchanges, and it was impossible to find a channel to buy coins; the only way for ordinary people to obtain Bitcoin was through mining, and at that time, the threshold for mining was very low—a regular home computer could handle it.
1. Prepare tools
Find a computer that can run normally (both Windows or Linux systems are fine), no need for high-end graphics; the mainstream configuration in 2009 (such as Core 2 processor, 2G memory) is completely sufficient.
2. Download the mining program
Open the browser, visit the official Bitcoin website (bitcoin.org), and download an early version of the Bitcoin Core client. This client is both a wallet and a mining tool and can also synchronize the entire Bitcoin blockchain.
3. Start mining
After installing the client, start the program and synchronize the blockchain data— the blockchain in 2009 was just starting, with a very small amount of data, which could be synchronized in a few minutes.
The client will automatically generate a mining node, and your computer will participate in the Bitcoin network's accounting and hashing operations. At that time, the mining difficulty was almost zero, allowing one block to be mined approximately every 10 minutes, with each block rewarding 50 bitcoins (later halved every four years).
After mining coins, bitcoins will automatically be stored in the built-in wallet address of the client, which will be your first batch of 'genesis' bitcoins.
Step two: Storing bitcoins—keeping the private key means keeping everything
In 2009, storing bitcoins had no paper wallet tutorial, no hardware wallets, completely relying on manual operation, with only one core principle: back up your private key well and stay away from network risks.
1. Find the private key file
The private key of the Bitcoin Core client is stored as a file in a specified directory on your computer:
◦ Windows system: C:\Users\[your username]\AppData\Roaming\Bitcoin\wallet.dat
◦ Linux system: ~/.bitcoin/wallet.dat
This wallet.dat file is your 'coin warehouse', containing the private key information for all wallet addresses.
2. Securely back up the private key file
◦ First, disconnect your computer from the network to prevent hackers from remotely stealing files.
◦ Copy the wallet.dat file and back it up on multiple secure media: such as an encrypted USB drive, external hard drive, or you can open the file contents in Notepad and manually write down key characters (not recommended, prone to error).
◦ Backup media should be stored separately, for example, one hidden in a home safe and another placed with a trusted friend to avoid loss or damage.
3. Absolute taboos
◦ Do not share the wallet.dat file with anyone, and do not upload it to cloud storage, email, or other online platforms.
◦ Do not casually reinstall the system or format the hard drive; otherwise, without a backup, your bitcoins will be completely lost.
◦ In 2009, there was no 'password recovery' feature; once you forget the client password or lose the private key file, the coins can never be recovered.
Step three: If you want to 'buy coins'— you can only find geeks for private trading
In 2009, bitcoins had no public price; it wasn’t until May 2010 that the first real-world transaction involving bitcoins occurred (10,000 bitcoins bought two pizzas). If you really don't want to mine, you can only try your luck in the early Bitcoin community.
1. Find the trading circle
Register an account on the Bitcoin Forum, which was the only gathering place for Bitcoin players at that time, filled with technical geeks.
2. Publish a trading post
Post to explain 'want to buy bitcoins with cash', indicating your location and payment method (such as bank transfer, cash face-to-face transaction). Bitcoins in 2009 had almost no value, and you could probably receive a small amount at a very low price (even a few cents each).
3. Transactions and withdrawals
After reaching an agreement with the seller, they will send you bitcoins using their client. You just need to send your wallet address to them, and after they confirm the transfer, wait for block confirmation (a few minutes), and the coins will arrive in your wallet.
The ultimate reminder for travelers
1. No one paid attention to bitcoins in 2009, don’t expect to get rich overnight; patience and holding is the way to go.
2. When backing up the wallet.dat file, be sure to make several copies; even after many years, this file can still be imported into the latest version of the Bitcoin Core client to recover your coins.
3. Don’t easily boast to people around you that you are 'mining digital coins'; people in 2009 are likely to think you are involved in a pyramid scheme or a computer virus.
