Bitcoin crosses $1,000 for the first time on Mt. Gox on November 27, 2013, driven by massive Chinese demand on BTC China and growing mainstream awareness worldwide. From a whitepaper to four figures in five years. The rally saw Bitcoin's price increase over 80x from its January 2013 level of about $13. US Senate hearings on Bitcoin weeks earlier had given it unexpected legitimacy, and media coverage reached a fever pitch.
Wikipedia: History of Bitcoin