Retsy Series 1 · Card 0504 · 90-MEM

Purple Penguin Virus

Do NOT open the purple penguin.

An email warning about a terrifying computer virus that would melt your hard drive, which never existed.

Card no.: 0504 of 1,280
Set: 90s Memes & Fads · 90-MEM
Year: 1999
Type: Email virus hoax
Found at: Inbox, all caps subject line
Cost back then: Free panic

Rip a pack Find it in the checklist

Nostalgia8/10

Hype7/10

Weirdness9/10

Trade value2/10

The story · 1999

The story of Purple Penguin Virus

The warning came from your aunt, who got it from her coworker, who heard it from a real computer expert. Open an email with a purple penguin attachment and your computer would explode in a shower of sparks. Everyone forwarded the warning. Nobody ever received the penguin. Nobody ever stopped worrying.

Fun fact

Some versions claimed the virus also changed your desktop wallpaper to penguins forever, which honestly sounded kind of nice.

Six finishes

187 copies of Purple Penguin Virus exist

Purple Penguin Virus comes in six finishes: 100 Base, 50 Holo, 25 Laser and 10 Gold copies, plus one Super Laser and one Misprint that exist exactly once. Every copy is minted to the wallet that rips it, with its own serial number.

Purple Penguin Virus, Retsy card 0504 in the Base finish — **Base**100 copies · Common

Purple Penguin Virus, Retsy card 0504 in the Holo finish — **Holo**50 copies · Uncommon

Purple Penguin Virus, Retsy card 0504 in the Laser finish — **Laser**25 copies · Rare

Purple Penguin Virus, Retsy card 0504 in the Gold finish — **Gold**10 copies · Very rare

Purple Penguin Virus, Retsy card 0504 in the Super Laser finish — **Super Laser**1 copy · 1 of 1

Purple Penguin Virus, Retsy card 0504 in the Misprint finish — **Misprint**1 copy · 1 of 1

90-MEM

More from 90s Memes & Fads

Purple Penguin Virus is one of 32 cards in the 90s Memes & Fads set. Here are the other 31.