Trump NFTs due soon as Dems launch first political NFT platform
Political NFTs could reshape the future of fundraising campaigns
The Democratic Party in the US has launched the world’s first-ever political non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, while the Trumplicans NFT Project, a collection of 10,000 NFTs representing former US president Donald Trump, is due to drop on Opensea.io on 17 October.
The Trump NFTs will be offered for minting at ETH 0.07 or thereabouts. They will grant access to benefits such as free vacation packages to the Trump International Beach Resort in Miami, and other Trump merchandise.
“Once 100% of the minting is complete, the team will start developing the Trumplicans Metaverse where virtual events will be hosted and the community can discuss the project. Members will also get access to additional NFTs in the form of ticket stubs that will be used to attend virtual and real-life events of the Trumplican Patriot Club,” said Trumplicans.
According to their creators, the NFTs could potentially reach the heights of projects such as CryptoPunks, Bored Ape Yacht Club or Axie Origins. “The Trumplicans NFT Project could well be added to the superstar ranks of these NFT projects,” they said.
Democrats launch NFT marketplace
On the opposite side of the political divide, Front Row launched the political arena’s inaugural NFT marketplace to bolster support for Democrat-led organisations, causes and missions.
“Today’s launch is a landmark moment for the future of political fundraising,” said Parker Butterworth, Front Row’s co-founder. “NFTs will become a powerful addition to any political fundraising effort.”
The marketplace is being launched in partnership with the Texas Democratic Party and will sell political digital relics that support the party’s current political agenda, focused on protecting voting and abortion rights.
One featured NFT that is currently for sale includes digital renderings of Democratic state legislators from 2021, and a poster of their arrest warrants for fleeing the state after attempting to block the passing of Texas voting bill SB-1.
One aspect of Front Row’s platform that will differ from others is anonymisation. Since sales of NFTs go directly towards political groups and individuals, campaign finance laws require the platform to identify its purchasers, bringing a layer of transparency to NFT transactions.
The Political Series
The first political photographs ever minted as NFTs were created nine months ago by a photographer dubbed Cosmonaut2021. They represent the first time a political photographer has uploaded their work to the blockchain.
The image portraits Cosmonaut2021’s artistic vision of a picture of the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, during a speech in Manchester in 2019. The picture was never actually sold, although it received a few bids for less than ETH 1.
