Sotheby's, the renowned auction house, has recently announced that it will be hosting an auction for the BitcoinShrooms collection, a project created by artist Shroomtoshi. This collection, which was originally minted on-chain on October 22nd, is being hailed as the "first ever Ordinals collection" by both the BitcoinShroom website and X account.
Within the BitcoinShrooms collection, art enthusiasts will find a treasure trove of references, ranging from iconic Bitcoin memes to advanced technical concepts. #Sotheby's describes it as a visual symphony that captures the essence of Bitcoin from the perspective of someone who has been involved since the early days.
The auction is scheduled to run from December 6th to December 13th, giving bidders ample time to participate. Currently, three pieces from the collection are available for bidding. These include two shroom individuals and a pixelated avocado seed named BIP39, which represents the common standard for creating a mnemonic code required for seed phrases. It is estimated that these three pieces will fetch prices ranging from $20,000 to $30,000, although Sotheby's also accepts bids in cryptocurrency.
Shroomtoshi, the artist behind the BitcoinShrooms collection, describes it as a pixelated recap of the first 13 years of #Bitcoin. It serves as a homage to the 8-bit style of art, evoking a sense of nostalgia for the 90s. Shroomtoshi also sees it as a way to spread their art across the world, raising awareness about Bitcoin and its core principles. Additionally, it serves as a means to express frustration towards what they perceive as annoying pop elements and aberrations within the Bitcoin community. Ultimately, the collection is a thank you to those who have influenced and taught them, as well as a condensed knowledge and a journey for the curious.
The BitcoinShrooms collection consists of over 200 pieces, each paying homage to different aspects of Bitcoin's history. This includes depictions of a private key, a pixelated character wearing a "mountain" hat as a nod to the #Mt. Gox incident, an enigmatic figure with a question mark symbolizing anonymity, and an illustration of a "fiery" hot wallet, among others. Interestingly, the collection also features representations of iconic characters and logos from popular franchises such as Batman, Iron Man, Wall-e, and Super Mario.
The BitcoinShrooms account on X, a social media platform, boasts an impressive following of around 13,000 users. However, the identity of Shroomtoshi remains a mystery, as the artist has chosen to keep their identity private.
Tomorrow 🫶🏽 pic.twitter.com/O1Z6ED4i1g
— Michael Bouhanna (@michaelbouhanna) December 5, 2023
Prior to the official announcement, Michael Bouhanna, Sotheby's head of digital art, teased the auction on X by sharing an AI-generated image of an auction room adorned with mushrooms and Bitcoin displayed on a screen. Following the announcement, Bouhanna proudly declared that this art auction would mark the first time Sotheby's has sold #Ordinals.
Ordinals, which are conceptually similar to NFTs (#Non-Fungible Tokens), are inscribed onto individual satoshis, the smallest denomination of Bitcoin, using the Ordinals protocol. This process creates unique digital assets that can include art, collectibles, or other forms of content. The introduction of Ordinals has sparked renewed interest in the NFT space, as noted by analysts from JPMorgan in late November. As a result, exchanges like Binance and OKX have opened their doors for Ordinals trading, further expanding the reach and potential of this innovative technology.
In conclusion, Sotheby's upcoming auction of the BitcoinShrooms collection is an exciting event for art enthusiasts and cryptocurrency enthusiasts alike. With its unique blend of Bitcoin references, iconic characters, and nostalgic 8-bit art style, this collection is sure to captivate bidders from around the world. Whether you're a seasoned collector or a curious observer, this auction offers a chance to own a piece of Bitcoin's history and immerse yourself in the world of digital art.
