GM

Someone applied to be a Mint or Skip intern with this bio in their resume:

Not sure if I should hire them or call the police.

In today’s edition:

• Polygon’s new mystery NFT is minting soon

• New additions to the Mint and Watch Lists

• Four new drops

More info on Mint/Watch lists 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.

Polygon’s new mystery NFT

Context

Pluto, Polygon’s new flagship access pass project, is minting today.

Mint details below:

Interestingly, they’re using something called General Message Passing (GMP) to let collectors mint on either Polygon or Ethereum with each chain’s native token. Either way, you end up getting an NFT on Polygon.

Our Take

Imagine, as you’re reading this, that you get a notification on your phone. It’s a call from Ethereum founder and part-time furry Vitalik Buterin.

You pick it up, and to your surprise, he starts rambling about an upcoming PFP mint that he’s excited about.

“This is going to be a banger”, he says.

You can’t get in a single word because he keeps rambling, and when he’s done he hangs up before you get a chance to respond.

You call back immediately and it goes straight to voicemail. But then, just when you start to think that this must’ve been an AI voice bot, you go on Twitter and see a DM from him sending you the project’s Twitter handle – it really was Vitalik.

My guess, Dear Readers, is that you’d probably take his word for it. There’s value in Vitalik’s reputation, and he’s transferring some of that energy into this endorsement.

This is an extreme example. Vitalik is probably the most valuable crypto name that could ever be attached to an NFT project, barring a Satoshi Nakamoto comeback arc.

We all rely on social signaling and endorsements to some degree

It’s especially helpful in NFTs where these projects are often uncomfortably mysterious.

Pluto is a great example of that. This is an upcoming PFP and access pass that is fully endorsed by Polygon’s founding team. Specifically, Polygon’s CEO and COO are investing in, advising, and promoting Pluto.

Polygon has been one of the most dominant NFT chains of the last 24 months. They’ve attracted Reddit, Nike, Starbucks, and several other major brands. Giving out a high-profile endorsement like this carries serious weight and I’m sure it isn’t something the team takes lightly.

So what’s Pluto and why the hype?

Pluto is a launchpad for Web3 experiences. From my understanding, they’re going to directly launch, or help other creators launch, onchain art, games and collectible projects.

I imagine they’ll lean on Polygon’s extensive network since they receive a ton of inbound interest from small indie creators and huge brands alike.

Pluto holders will then get access to these experiences, including WL and other benefits, as well as early alerts on other Polygon projects launching across the network.

So far the only experience they’ve launched is a mini-game called Sunbeam, which seemed polished enough but didn’t generate a huge amount of buzz.

But the team does have relevant experience. Prior to this, one of the founders built an 8-figure creator launchpad in Asia called NOFLTR and worked with a long list of household name brands.

Now if I’m honest, I wish they gave more specifics

On these future experiences, or just on anything really (they don’t even have a website). But I get wanting to keep a level of mystery in this space.

At the end of the day, I like the sound of all this. I’m all about onchain experiences, as frequent readers may be aware, and I think Polygon’s biz dev team is 10/10.

But there are also more unknowns than usual here, including what the PFP art actually looks like. So this one’s for collectors that are cool with a bit of mystery and the unknown.

Disclosure: part of our team has Pluto WL through owning Magic Batch tokens.

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

Net Net Net by ilithya & Erin Wajufos

Generative art senpai Art Blocks-san (no, I won’t stop saying that) is trying something new this week with Emerging Voices, a themed set of daily Art Blocks Presents drops from emerging artists.

I’ve covered a couple of these already, but I missed today’s Net Net Net, a colorful, animated blend of glitch and retro by ilithya and Erin Wajufos, a duo of artists dropping their first collaborative collection.

It’s a fun one for browsers of the early internet, showcasing geometric shapes that progressively fill the 90s-colored canvas and then dance on command.

Find Your Slurpee Vibe

You thought the Polygon BizDev team was done? Not yet, it’s slurpin’ time.

Joining the likes of Starbucks, Mastercard, Slim Jim, et al. is 7-Eleven – the latest legacy brand to release a digital collectible on the ETH sidechain, featuring the company’s iconic Slurpee drink as part of the brand’s 96th birthday celebrations.

The drop is a mobile-only, US-only experience where you’re encouraged to create your own custom drink and mint it as a soulbound token to a new wallet address. The only cost? Your data, as your name, email, and phone number are all required.

I’m getting Meataverse vibes.

Monospatial by Emily Edelman

As fans of the open generative art scene await fxhash’s ETH integration later this year, there’s a new kid on the block who could fill the gap in the meantime: Prohibition.

Founded by Jordan Lyall, this Arbitrum platform shares a similar ethos to fxhash – it’s fully open for anyone to create, collect or curate, doing so via the Art Blocks minting engine (always a nice co-sign).

Next Tuesday marks their inaugural drop, Monospatial by American artist Emily Edelman. With a fair price, low supply and art that reminds me of the artist’s past Art Blocks Curated, I think this one might intrigue many a collector.

✨ Added to Watch List ✨

A Daydream for Libby by Adam genlight

You might remember Adam’s work from February’s A Fundamental Dispute. That fully on-chain collaborative collection with frolic had a moment earlier this year as collectors and traders crowded around its nostalgic, sketched nature scenes, trading more than 1,000 ETH in the process.

Now the artist is back with similarly nostalgic vibes in A Daydream for Libby, a gm.studio release inspired by the artist’s daughter, reimagining the fairytale of childhood imagination via code.

In your Dear Writer’s opinion, it’s a beautiful one that reminds us that there’s still room for genuine creativity in an often jaded web3 space. I’m looking forward to more details.

The Mint List

1. Taproot Wizards. OG Bitcoin meme inscribed as ordinals

2. Project Animus. RTFKT's biggest launch since Clone-X

3. Symbiogenesis. Square Enix's upcoming gaming NFT

4. Themes and Variations. Sotheby’s showcases pioneer gen artist

5. Acceptable Realities. Fellowship’s 2nd AI photography drop

6. 10KTF PFP. Drop from a team that includes Yuga and Beeple

7. Dimensionals - EVE. Free gaming PFP from doxxed studio

8. Garbage Friends. New PFP from the creator of Invisible Friends

9. Pluto. Polygon’s new flagship access pass project

10. Tony Babel x Typical Friends. Limited edition from the popular artist