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Christie’s Is Debuting Profile Pic NFT Auction Giving Exclusive Use Of Avatars
By Ell Ko, 12 Aug 2021
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Image via Christie’s
With an upcoming auction titled No Time Like Present, Christie’s Hong Kong will be the first non-fungible token (NFT) sale in Asia offered by an international auction house. Up for grabs in this sale will be digital, pixelated, extremely rare, highly-sought-after profile pictures (PFPs).
Highlights of the sale include a collection of highly unique CryptoPunks, designed by developers Larva Labs, and apes by Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC).
Generated algorithmically, CryptoPunks are a collection of 10,000 pixelated icons with a focus on different faces: humans, zombies, apes, aliens, to name a few. Every ‘Punk’ has their own profile page which describes their personality and appearance, and states ownership.
Originally released for free—available to anyone with an Ethereum wallet—the 10,000 were rapidly snatched up and their elusive unavailable has driven prices up to thousands of Ethereum.
The highest sale as of now stands at 4,2000Ξ, an equivalent of around US$7.58 million. The lowest price available is 46.68Ξ, or ‘just’ US$149,900.
Image via Christie’s
Similarly to CryptoPunks, BAYC NFTs are also a unique algorithmic generation, with a ‘base’ of an ape which is then decorated with additional assets. Expression, clothing, and accessories differ between apes, and the website states that “all apes are dope, but some are rarer than others.”
Larva Labs’ new creation, Meebits, will also be part of the auction. They’re also pixelated NFTs, but are different to the Punks in that they have a full body, and are rendered in 3D. this makes it possible for users to animate their Meebits and use them as avatars in the metaverse. In this Christie’s auction, an extremely rare Meebit of a suit-wearing skull is up for grabs, reports ARTnews.
Image via Christie’s
Paying millions for a small piece of digital art might seem strange to some, but BAYC concisely explains a potential motivation behind doing so.
“You’re not simply buying an avatar or a provably-rare piece of art. You are gaining membership access to a club whose benefits and offerings will increase over time. Your Bored Ape can serve as your digital identity, and open digital doors for you.”
The auction is scheduled for September 17, 2021, at 2pm HKT.
We're excited to announce No Time Like Present, an online auction featuring the very first NFT sale in Asia offered by an international auction house. #nft #nftartist #nftart #nftcollector #nftcommunity #nonfungible #digitalart #blockchain #crypto #cryptoart #artist #larvalabs pic.twitter.com/pX3vU8zmQP
— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) August 6, 2021
[via ARTnews, images via Christie’s]
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