💀Memento Mori FAQ

Memento Mori is a collection of 206 AI-generated artworks by renowned artist Richard Nadler, created exclusively for inscription on the Bitcoin blockchain. Each piece depicts skeletons and flora, symbolising the paradox of life and death, and serves as a reminder to celebrate the fleeting nature of existence.

The inspiration for the collection stems from Nadler's personal experience of losing his father at a young age, discovering a collection of monkey skulls in his family home, and recognising their symbolic significance.

In a ground-breaking technical feat, each artwork has been meticulously optimised and compressed to enable inscription on the Bitcoin blockchain, with each piece inscribed on rare satoshis from the historic Block 9, mined by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009.

Memento Mori represents Nadler's homage to Bitcoin and his attempt to create the finest artwork to grace the blockchain, celebrating the revolutionary potential of decentralised finance while reminding us of the impermanence of life.

With its vibrant colours, lush backdrops, and thought-provoking themes, Memento Mori aims to inspire viewers to appreciate the present moment and the wonders of the natural world, even in the face of mortality.

Memento Mori holds a special significance not only for its artistic merit but also for the rarities used in its inscription. The collection is inscribed on sats from Block 9 450x, one of the earliest blocks mined by Satoshi Nakamoto himself. Block 9 holds a unique distinction in Bitcoin's history, as the sats contained within it are the oldest in circulation and the only sats from Nakamoto currently available. This fusion of Nadler's visionary artwork with the historic beginnings of Bitcoin creates a truly unique and valuable collection.

The Auction:

The Memento Mori collection by Richard Nadler will be launched through a unique auction format known as a ranked auction with rebate or "bucket" auction. Out of the total 206 pieces, 190 will be made available to the public through this process.

In a ranked auction with rebate, the price is determined by the lowest successful bid, referred to as the "clearing price." Any bid ranked within the top 190 is considered successful. This means that the 190th highest bid will define the clearing price that all successful bidders pay.

However, a key aspect is that any successful bidder who placed a bid higher than the clearing price will have the excess amount refunded back to them. For example, if the clearing price is set at 0.02 BTC by the 190th bid, a bidder who placed a 0.03 BTC bid and ranked 150th would be refunded 0.01 BTC (their 0.03 bid minus the 0.02 clearing price).

The 24-hour auction has provisions for extensions if last-minute bids are placed, allowing a maximum 2-hour extension period. Bidders are limited to one piece per wallet but can create multiple wallets to bid on more pieces. The minimum bid is set at 0.002 BTC, and refunds will be processed within a week for any bid above this minimum, minus transaction fees. Successful bidders will receive their inscribed artworks within 24 hours after the auction closes.