Bitcoin Puppets and NodeMonkes Lead Ordinals Resurgance

NodeMonkes and Bitcoin Puppets have taken center stage on Bitcoin Ordinals as of late, each weaving a tale of pre-launch excitement, turmoil, and post-launch victories. One has managed to meet and, in some instances, exceed the set expectations, overcoming pockets of discontent. On the other hand, the second collection has emerged as a challenger to the status quo, defying initial expectations and presenting itself as a formidable force.

Pre-Launch

NodeMonkes
Not many other collections had as much hype leading up to their mint as NodeMonkes had, with them widely being considered as the first 10K collection on Ordinals. Initially promising that distribution would be via a free mint, after allegedly turning down a VC offer of $5 million for the collection, the NodeMonkes team changed course several times, eventually settling on a Dutch auction with the price starting at .21 BTC. Despite the backtrack, the anticipation remained high, with some seeing the auction model as a deterrent for free minters to quick flip for small profit. The final auction concluded successfully at 0.03 BTC, with those who bid higher receiving multiple assets.

Bitcoin Puppets
In contrast, the Puppets didn’t enjoy the same pre-launch spotlight as NodeMonkes. The OG collection, O.P.I.U.M, kept a relatively low profile until closer to mint day. Last-minute alterations saw a reduction in the maximum mintable Puppets from 10 to 5, with O.P.I.U.M holders granted an exclusive 2-hour window for minting before the public launch.

Launch

NodeMonkes
The auction wrapped up with 8,000 valid bids, finalizing at 0.03 BTC. Despite the pre-mint FUD and unease, the auction emerged as a resounding success. It not only defied apprehensions but also served as the inaugural journey for numerous ETH-based influencers venturing into Ordinals for the first time. A notable contributor to this was a dedicated 400-piece collection, paying homage to well-known Web3 personalities in the form of honorary NodeMonkes based on their likeness.

Bitcoin Puppets
The launch of Bitcoin Puppets was beautiful chaos. The site hosting the mint, InscribeNow, crashed continuously from the sheer volume of traffic flooding in. During a brief moment of the website not being in a state of complete capitulation, bots took full advantage and minted thousands in a mere matter of seconds. Founder, @lepuppeteerfou, announced that those mints would be cancelled, the mint would open back up again, and the new limit per mint would be just 1.

Site issues continued to plague the mint, with hopeful minters placed in a waiting room where time went backwards. The unfortunate series of calamities was right on brand for the Puppets, and once the anger from those unfamiliar with the culture had subsided, the disorderly launch only endeared the Puppets to their fan base even more.

Post-Launch

NodeMonkes
Any fear of NodeMonkes not living up to the hype was quelled pretty shortly after they hit the secondary markets, with the collection doing huge numbers on sales volume and quickly became the top traded collection of all time on MEonBTC. Another 10K collection that has been a firm favorite of Ordinal enjoyers, Bitcoin Frogs, was flipped in floor price by NodeMonkes, marking a huge milestone for the collection and confirming that they were indeed here to stay.

Yuga founder, Gordon Goner, proudly joined the ranks of prominent admirers by showcasing his recently acquired gold NodeMonke. Meanwhile, the renowned NFT artist Beeple drew inspiration from the collection, incorporating it into one of his latest pieces.

BitcoinPuppets
Similar to NodeMonkes, the Pups made a strong recovery from the FUD they faced, largely confined within Discord and stemming from disgruntled minters. Bitcoin Puppets have now been hailed as the David against the Goliath represented by NodeMonkes – a countercultural alternative to the influencer-backed NodeMonkes. Many who missed the initial surge and find themselves priced out of Monkes have turned to Puppets, attracted by their more accessible price point.

Final Thoughts

While NodeMonkes and Bitcoin Puppets traversed somewhat parallel paths, facing FUD, launch troubles, and subsequent excitement, they share a common thread in their absence of a promised roadmap or utility. People are simply liking the art and culture of the two, with many being fans of both, rather than it being seen as a competition.

NodeMonkes continues to dominate with 650 BTC in sales over the past 7 days, while Bitcoin Puppets have secured a solid second place with 137 BTC, clearly outpacing the third-placed Bitcoin Frogs at 54 BTC.