Bitcoin Shrooms Explained: The 1st Ordinal NFT Collection

Bitcoin ordinal NFTs seemingly appeared suddenly, but builders were already hard at work creating the first ordinal NFT collection called Bitcoin Shrooms. So, what exactly is Bitcoin Shrooms?

Bitcoin Shrooms is the first Ordinal NFT collection launched on the bitcoin blockchain. The collection consists of 210 pieces of bitcoin-inspired art inscribed on the bitcoin blockchain and represented by serialized satoshis or “ordinals”.

I know what you’re thinking – “Oh no, not another pixel project.” However, Bitcoin Shrooms is far from just another collection of JPEGs. Let’s take a closer look at what sets this collection apart.

What Is Bitcoin Shrooms?

On October 12, 2022, the Twitter account for the Bitcoin Shrooms collection made its debut with a playful tweet that says, “Shroom, or Schroomer, or El Shroomerino if you’re not into the whole brevity thing.”

The first inscription of a Bitcoin Shroom was published at block height 772919, making it one of the earliest ordinals and the 19th inscription in existence. 

The birth certificate for the collection was published at block height 773403 (inscription 81), and the entire collection was published as a list of hashes at block height 773778 (inscription 105). 

This makes all of the Bitcoin Shrooms ordinals some of the earliest NFTs to exist on the Bitcoin blockchain, and the collection itself is the first of its kind. 

Bitcoin Shrooms is not just the first collection with some of the earliest inscriptions, it’s also a chronicle of Bitcoin itself! The collection features some of the most important elements of Bitcoin’s history. 

You don’t need to search far to discover this. The collection’s Twitter account provides all the details.

On January 24, 2023, Bitcoin Shrooms posted a humorous and informative thread explaining the origin of ordinals, titled “#bitcoin ordinals 🧵, an illustrated history in 8 acts.” 

It’s definitely worth checking out!

Starting on February 3, 2023, the Bitcoin Shrooms Twitter account began a new journey, promising to take followers on a tour of Bitcoin’s history, heroes, and fallen angels. As they put it, “Imma stop right here cuz I’m not Peter Falk in the princess bride. Are you ready?”

The Bitcoin Shroom team has announced that they will be changing the descriptions of each Shroom soon. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that every Shroom NFT is still a vital component in the storytelling of Bitcoin. 

The introduction of ordinals marks a historic moment in the crypto space. While Bitcoin has always been recognized as the “OG” of Web3 and blockchain technology, it was primarily valued for its security and currency use. But with ordinals, Bitcoin has become so much more! 

These NFTs will endure as a significant event in the history of Bitcoin, NFTs, and Web3, standing the test of time.

How Do Bitcoin Shrooms Work?

Bitcoin Shrooms work by inscribing arbitrary content onto individual sats, creating Bitcoin-native digital artifacts that can be held in a Bitcoin wallet and transferred using Bitcoin transactions. Inscriptions are durable, immutable, secure, and decentralized, making them as secure as Bitcoin itself. 

To learn more about ordinals in general, make sure to check out this beginner’s guide.

What Do You Need to Receive, Send, and Store a Bitcoin Shroom?

To receive, send, and store a Bitcoin Shroom NFT, you need an ordinal-compatible wallet like Ordinals Wallet. Another more secure option is to set up Ord, a wallet specifically designed to handle ordinals like the Bitcoin Shrooms and avoid their inadvertent transfer.

Currently, your only chance at owning a Bitcoin Shroom NFT is to place a bid on Scarce.City ordinals marketplace as the collection is not being traded on secondary yet.

Why Is Bitcoin Shrooms on Bitcoin and Not Ethereum?

The creators of Bitcoin Shrooms value immutability, honest work, freedom, and decentralization over centralized control. They chose to use the Bitcoin blockchain because it aligns with their values and provides a secure and decentralized platform for their digital art.

And considering the project is a chronicle of Bitcoin, it only makes sense that it utilizes the Bitcoin network.

If you want to stay updated on Bitcoin Shrooms and learn more about the collection, make sure to follow them on Twitter. They do have a Discord group, but it’s currently private. So, if you want to get access, the best way is to reach out to the team via Twitter.

Categories NFT
About Alex Gomez

Alex is a professional writer based in the U.S. focused on the blockchain industry. With years of experience, he contributes to some of the most recognized publications such as Yahoo, ONE37pm, and others. He previously worked for Gary Vaynerchuk as his NFT editor before going all-in on Cyber Scrilla.