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Justin Roiland just raised $1 million from a collection of NFTs. It’s the Rick and Morty legend’s first foray into the crypto art world.
Rick and Morty Make NFT Debut
Justin Roiland’s first NFT collection just raised $1 million.
The iconic animator, best-known for creating the beloved Rick and Morty series, released his “The Best I Could Do” collection via Nifty Gateway, the Gemini-owned NFT auction platform.
Roiland has previously spoken of cryptocurrencies, tweeting about Bitcoin back in 2015, but “The Best I Could Do” is his first step into the world of NFTs.
Thirteen pieces were available in the drop, including five one-of-a-kind editions.
A five-minute open edition raised $275,391. Copies were minted for anyone who bid within the short time window, and two bigger editions of 100. The most wallet-friendly piece was available for only $10.
One unique piece based on his popular animated series, titled “The First Ever Edition Of Rick And Morty Cryptoart,” sold for $150,000 in a silent auction.
Another called “The Smintons,” an unsubtle reference to the world’s most popular animated sitcom, sold for $290,100. Roiland said that the proceeds from “The Smintons” would be donated to help the homeless in Los Angeles.
The Smintons by @JustinRoiland has sold for $290,100! Congrats to the collector and to Justin! pic.twitter.com/vbyenEmJjh
— Nifty Gateway (@niftygateway) January 21, 2021
Nifty Gateway noted that the seven figure payout makes “The Best I Could Do” one of the most valuable NFT drops ever.
Last year, cult digital artist Beeple made an even higher sum through Nifty Gateway, collecting a record-breaking $3.5 million from his “Everydays” drop.
NFTs Attract Speculation
As NFTs have drawn more attention, speculation over the future value of digital art has helped some pieces sell for thousands of dollars.
The high prices aren’t exclusive to digital art: in November, a collectible card of the Paris Saint-Germain soccer player sold for $65,000 on Sorare, a fantasy soccer game in which players trade and compete with NFTs of soccer stars.
NFTs are a form of token that live on the Ethereum blockchain. They can’t be replicated and act as proof of authenticity and ownership. When a Unique token like those in Roiland’s collection is sold, its scarcity can be proven as the data is stored on-chain.
Though many well-known artists have recently turned their hand to NFTs, Roiland is among the most famous to experiment with the format. His science fiction sitcom Rick and Morty is one of the most acclaimed animated series in entertainment history.
It’s won several awards, including two Primetime Emmys. Roiland is the show’s animator, co-writer, co-producer, and key voice actor.
Disclosure: At the time of writing, the author of this feature owned ETH, among a number of other cryptocurrencies.