Unpacking the Buzz: Christie’s Bitcoin Ordinals Debut in New York
In an exciting development for the NFT and digital art world, Christie’s New York has announced its inaugural Bitcoin ordinals auction, titled ‘Ordinal Maxi Biz (OMB)’. Led by visionary ZK Shark, this groundbreaking event will showcase a curated selection of 5,141 unique one-to-one Profile Picture (PFP) NFTs. These NFTs stand out with their signature eye colors (red, blue, green and orange) and add a layer of rarity and allure.
Art meets Blockchain innovation
What sets the OMB collection apart is its historical significance; it features the first works of art ever engraved on some of the oldest Bitcoin Satoshis, thanks to the artistic ingenuity of Tony Tafuro and Berkin Bags. This endeavor was made possible by the contributions of Nullish, an expert on rare Satoshis. To underline the prestige of the collection, some pieces are engraved on Satoshis starting from block 9, mined by none other than Bitcoin’s enigmatic creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, and block 78, mined by the legendary Hal Finney.
Christie’s New York is pleased to present a Bitcoin Ordinals online auction for the first time: Ordinal Maxi Biz (OMB) @OrdinalMaxiBiz. The sale includes a group of works selected by the creator @ZK_haai. We offer unique 1/1 PFPs with different eye color characteristics, consisting of…
— Christie’s (@ChristiesInc) April 9, 2024
A charitable twist
To add a philanthropic angle to the auction, proceeds from Lot 1 will be generously donated to a charity of the seller’s choice. This gesture not only increases the value of the collection, but also underlines the community-oriented ethos often seen in the NFT and crypto spaces.
Bidding dynamics
The auction, which runs from April 9 to April 16, offers participants the flexibility to place bids in both USD and BTC, catering to a global audience of both art collectors and cryptocurrency enthusiasts.
Nicole Sales Giles: a visionary in digital art
Behind this groundbreaking sale is Nicole Sales Giles, VP and Director of Digital Art Sales at Christie’s, who has been instrumental in integrating digital art and NFTs into the mainstream auction market. Since joining Christie’s in 2012, Giles has been at the forefront of the digital art revolution. He led the historic sale of Beeple’s ‘Everydays: The First 5000 Days’ and launched Christie’s 3.0, an on-chain NFT platform.
TL; DR
Christie’s New York is making waves with its first Bitcoin ordinal auction, “Ordinal Maxi Biz,” featuring unique NFTs and artwork engraved on ancient Bitcoin Satoshis. This sale not only highlights the convergence of art and blockchain technology, but also demonstrates Christie’s commitment to innovation and philanthropy.