On April 16, 2024, Christie’s concluded a historic auction sale of a four-part digital art set called “Red, Blue, Green, and Orange Eye OMB” inscribed on Bitcoin’s blockchain for $441,000. The hand-drawn works from the Ordinal Maxi Biz collection represent some of the earliest original artworks created on Bitcoin Ordinals, the protocol that allows digital inscriptions directly onto individual satoshis.
The Collection and Its Variants
The set comprises four colour variants: Red Eyes, Blue Eyes, Green Eyes, and Orange Eyes. The Red Eyes series began being inscribed in February 2023 and represents among the first hand-drawn artworks on Bitcoin Ordinals. The Blue Eyes series, inscribed on Block 78, pioneered Picture-for-Profile (PFP) artwork on this blockchain. Block 78 was notably mined by Hal Finney, an early Bitcoin collaborator and the first person to receive a Bitcoin transaction, making it the first block mined by someone other than Satoshi Nakamoto. Developer and artist Nullish employed “sat hunting” techniques to place this work strategically.
Historical Significance
The Green Eyes series gained prominence as the first PFP artwork inscribed on Block 9, the first Bitcoin block discovered in circulation and mined directly by Nakamoto himself. The Orange Eyes series was inscribed on February 11, 2024, during Super Bowl LVIII. The Ordinal Maxi Biz collection consistently ranks among the top five market capitalizations across all Ordinal collections, with over 1,400 Bitcoin in secondary volume despite comprising only 5,141 works total, underscoring its historical importance and dominance in the space.
Frequently asked questions
What are Bitcoin Ordinals?
Bitcoin Ordinals are digital inscriptions recorded directly onto individual satoshis on the Bitcoin blockchain, allowing artworks and other content to be permanently stored on Bitcoin itself rather than on separate networks.
What makes the Ordinal Maxi Biz collection historically significant?
The collection features works inscribed on historically important Bitcoin blocks, including Block 78 mined by Hal Finney and Block 9 mined by Satoshi Nakamoto, connecting the artwork to foundational moments in Bitcoin’s history.
How many works exist in the Ordinal Maxi Biz collection?
The collection comprises 5,141 works total and has generated over 1,400 Bitcoin in secondary market volume.