GM

We welcome collectors, degens, artists, enthusiasts, dabblers and builders.

Even right-click savers may seek shelter here (after atoning for their sins).

In today’s edition:

• I made a big change to the newsletter

• The Top 25

• 3 new drops

Links for the Top 25 drops are HERE.

Did you know?

We have a premium pass that gives you access to a directory of every drop we cover, complete with detailed information on how to get on every whitelist (including those underrated ones that aren’t already full).

And for those curatooors out there, you can get free NFTs just by finding drops that end up on the Mint or Watch list.

Lastly, hang with me and the MoS team in a private discord with weekly voice chats. The vibes are great.

Would you like to be featured in Mint or Skip like the above ☝️ ?

I made a big change to the newsletter

The Mint List (our top 10 rankings) is no longer with us.

Last night I invited it to a nice Jersey dinner at Casa di Nonna’s. Checkered table cloth, BYOB, Billy Joel music playing in the background – the works.

Only it wasn’t really a dinner (if you know what I mean).

Anyway, it’s gone on vacation now, and I don’t know when it’ll be back.

The changes

Today I’m announcing some changes that I think will make this newsletter better.

Previously, we had a Mint List and a Watch List. The Mint List was ranked, while the Watch List wasn’t.

Going forward, these will be combined into the Top 25 list, which is an unranked view of our 25 favorite upcoming drops.

This will be presented across two graphics: Coming Soon, and Coming Later (how’s that for creative labeling?).

WHY?

The decision came down to two reasons.

First, numerical rankings started to feel silly

NFTs are in this interesting place where our attention stretches across several different verticals. You have gaming, art, access passes, physical-backed tokens, PFPs and other collectibles.

This is different from your typical discovery brand which focuses on one segment (like Pitchfork for music, or IGN for games).

In our case, making micro-ranking comparisons across completely different products makes less sense. For example, what does it mean to say that an onchain game is more exciting than a generative art collection, or a music drop?

It’s apples to oranges, as they say.

Of course, we’re still doing that with the Top 25 to some degree, but the ordered rankings were taking this to a weird extreme.

Second, the new layout is way more actionable

Take a look at our old Mint List and tell me what seems off.

Need a hint?

The majority of drops don’t have dates on them. It’s TBDs as far as the eye can see.

Usually, we’d find a drop we really liked, place it on the Mint List and then keep it there forever even if the project goes quiet or delays its launch indefinitely.

Taproot Wizards is a perfect example. Yes, I’m excited about it, but at this point, I have no idea when it’s coming out. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s delayed until next year. What do we do in that case?

Our new setup focuses on projects that are launching SOON. It’s more timely, and more actionable since you’ll always have a clear idea of what’s around the corner.

How does something get into the Top 25?

At the end of the day, it’s all about stories.

We look for things that are innovative, captivating or that have some unfair advantage that could help it hack the attention cycle.

Here are some questions we ask (taken from a prior post I made about our rankings):

• Is this something super niche or does it resonate with others?

• Is the price absurd for what they’re offering or reasonable?

• What story are they telling? Is it engaging or muddy and confusing?

The Top 25 are our favorites from the hundreds of NFTs that we look at every week.

And when something is really special, you’ll probably see us write a full preview about it.

reminder: it’s all just our opinion ✨

NOTE: These drops are lightly curated. Our only requirement is that they have recognizable founders. As usual, DYOR. To learn more go here.

E-motions

Claire Silver, one of the most popular web3 AI artists, curates E-motions, an art exhibition by Unit London that delves into a post-internet, Japan-inspired AI world.

Exploring topics like information overconsumption and hyperconnectivity, the show features works by 26 artists, with prices ranging from 0.1 ETH all the way up to 52 ETH for a Claire Silver 1/1.

It started yesterday but goes on for a month, and from what I could see, most (if not all) artworks are still available for purchase.

RIP TCG Pre-access Vault Sale

Deadfellaz, a PFP that emerged from 2021’s Summer of Wagmi, pivots into gaming as it unveils an upcoming project code-named RIP TCG.

The team describes it as a reimagination of tabletop card games, emphasizing immersive 3D characters, rich lore and card customization. The first playable alpha is scheduled for 2024, but there isn’t any viewable gameplay yet.

The cards will (of course) be NFTs, and the first Vault Sale starts tomorrow: 30,000 Vaults will be for sale over 15 days at prices ranging from $13 to $100 (depending on held NFTs). Each vault will contain 450 random first edition cards, yielding a potential supply of 13.5 million cards.

Woman, Life, Freedom by Armaghan Fatemi

Next Thursday, Iranian artist Armaghan Fatemi (a.k.a. BY MA), will release her second Art Blocks collection with the 160-supply Woman, Life, Freedom.

The release tells the story of the ongoing Iranian revolution and highlights people fighting for freedom of expression.

Upon clicking on one of the characters (or signs) in these pieces, a text box pops up with a real-life story associated with that character, grounding everything in reality.

The evocative cutout animation style contrasts beautifully with the raw stories.