Summary
Sotheby’s digital art arm is set to auction off pieces from the BitcoinShrooms collection, a Bitcoin Ordinals project created by artist Shroomtoshi. The collection, which includes over 200 pieces, aims to pay homage to bitcoin’s history and features references to Bitcoin memes and technical concepts. The auction will take place from December 6 to December 13, with three pieces available for bidding. The collection is expected to fetch around $20,000 to $30,000. Sotheby’s also accepts bids in cryptocurrency. The artist behind BitcoinShrooms, known as Shroomtoshi, has not revealed their identity.
Key Points
1. BitcoinShrooms Collection Auctioned by Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s digital art arm will auction off pieces from the BitcoinShrooms collection, a Bitcoin Ordinals project created by artist Shroomtoshi. The collection, which was minted on-chain on October 22, aims to capture the essence of Bitcoin’s history.
2. Contents of the Collection
The BitcoinShrooms collection includes over 200 pieces that reference iconic Bitcoin memes, technical concepts, and historical events. Depictions range from a private key to representations of well-known franchises like Batman and Super Mario.
3. Auction Details
The auction will run from December 6 to December 13, and three pieces from the collection are currently available for bidding. The expected price range for the pieces is $20,000 to $30,000, with the option to bid in cryptocurrency. Sotheby’s head of digital art, Michael Bouhanna, has shared an AI-generated image of an auction room featuring mushrooms and bitcoin.
4. Ordinals and NFTs
Ordinals, the concept behind the BitcoinShrooms collection, are similar to NFTs (non-fungible tokens). They utilize the Ordinals protocol to encode data onto individual satoshis, the smallest unit of Bitcoin. The emergence of Ordinals has sparked renewed interest in the NFT space, leading to exchanges like Binance and OKX offering Ordinals trading.
5. Artist Identity and Purpose
The artist behind BitcoinShrooms, Shroomtoshi, has not revealed their identity. The collection serves as a pixelated recap of Bitcoin’s first 13 years, expressing nostalgia for 8-bit art and raising awareness about Bitcoin’s core principles. It is also a tribute to those who contributed to Bitcoin’s development and a condensed journey for the curious.
The auction of the BitcoinShrooms collection by Sotheby’s marks an important moment for the intersection of digital art, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain technology. It highlights the growing interest in NFTs and the unique ways artists are leveraging blockchain to create and sell digital assets. The collection’s references to Bitcoin’s history and its incorporation of popular culture icons add an additional layer of appeal. This auction may attract both art collectors and crypto enthusiasts, further blurring the lines between the traditional art market and the digital realm.