“EthBoy” NFT: The resale of a $400K artistic ode to Vitalik Buterin
A unique piece of digital art, “EthBoy”, portraying Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin as a jester, has made waves by fetching a staggering 200 ETH (approximately $392,308) on the secondary market. This sale highlights the enduring allure of crypto art and underscores the shifting dynamics of the NFT ecosystem.
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From record-breaking origins to an evolved NFT ecosystem
“EthBoy”, crafted by Trevor Jones and the late Alotta Money, initially set the record in November 2020, selling for 260 ETH, then the most expensive NFT artwork ever sold at about $140,000. This recent resale, however, dwarfs the original value due to the fluctuations in ETH’s price, marking a significant milestone in the NFT domain.
When “EthBoy” first entered the market, it was a different era for NFTs, a period marked by record-breaking sales and surging interest in crypto art and Profile Picture (PFP) NFTs. Artists like Jones were drawn to this novel medium because of its emphasis on creator royalties, a model that granted artists a percentage of secondary sales.
However, the last year has seen these creator fees become a contentious issue, as major platforms like OpenSea made them optional, reflecting the challenges of maintaining revenue and customer interest in a bear market.
A Gesture of Goodwill adds to the legacy of “EthBoy”
Despite the optional nature of creator fees on OpenSea, where “EthBoy” was resold, the new owner chose to honor the 10% creator royalty. This move resulted in a 20 ETH (about $39,230) payment to Async Art, the platform behind the artwork’s creation. This gesture is notable in the current NFT landscape, where such fees are no longer mandatory.
The creators of “EthBoy” had initially pledged to share a third of the creator fees from future sales with the artwork’s first buyer, MaxStealth, in perpetuity. This arrangement highlights an earlier, more optimistic phase of the NFT market’s economic potential. Following the recent sale, MaxStealth stands to receive an additional $13,000 worth of ETH as their share of the creator fee, a testament to the enduring economic allure of NFT art.
A glimmer of hope in the NFT market
This significant sale of “EthBoy” injects a glimmer of hope into the somewhat sluggish NFT ecosystem. It showcases not only the enduring appeal of unique digital art but also the complex economic and cultural layers of the NFT marketplace. As the NFT landscape continues to evolve, “EthBoy” serves as a reminder of the potential for innovation, artistic recognition, and economic reward in the digital art world.
