About the episode
NFT mania is in full swing, but where did it really start to gain momentum? CryptoPunks, 10,000 unique, algorithmically generated pixel art characters were sent to the Ethereum blockchain by Matt Hall and John Watkinson of Larva Labs in 2017, where they soon became a sensation. Kevin talks to Matt and John about the CryptoPunks origin story, their current chapter, and what we can expect from them in the future.
About our guest

Matt Hall
@matthall2000 of Larva Labs is the dynamic duo responsible for setting NFT mania in motion when they unleashed their CryptoPunks creations on the Ethereum blockchain in 2017.

John Watkinson
@pents90 of Larva Labs is the dynamic duo responsible for setting NFT mania in motion when they unleashed their CryptoPunks creations on the Ethereum blockchain in 2017.
Topics covered
Links from the episode
CryptoPunks Explained: 10 Things About the First NFTs | Christie’s
ERC-721 Non-Fungible Token Standard | Ethereum.org
Hockey Trading Cards | Upper Deck Hockey Cards
Card Set Archive | Magic: The Gathering
Ethereum History in 5 Charts | CoinDesk
What is Hashing on the Blockchain? | Blockgeeks
Crypto Pepes: What Does the Frog Meme? | Cointelegraph Magazine
Rip It to Shreds: A History of Punk and Style | Pitchfork
Pipe-Smoking Alien CryptoPunk NFT Sells For $7.5 Million | Forbes
CryptoPunks: All Attributes | Larva Labs
CryptoPunks: Details for Punk #8348 | Larva Labs
This Ethereum-Based Project Could Change How We Think about Digital Art | Mashable
CryptoPunks: Details for Punk #0 | Larva Labs
Why Are Sol LeWitt’s Wall Drawings So Influential? | Public Delivery
An Introduction to Generative Art: What It Is, and How You Make It | freeCodeCamp
The Blockchain for Open Worlds | Flow
The Worldwide Asset eXchange | WAX
How CryptoPunks’ Creators Charmed the Art World and Paved the Way for Blockchain Art | BreakerMag
NFT Copycats Exploding on Binance Smart Chain | Play to Earn
About Trademark Infringement | USPTO
‘Kleenex Is a Registered Trademark’ (and Other Desperate Appeals) | The Atlantic
Remix Culture and Amateur Creativity: A Copyright Dilemma | WIPO
Show notes
How did the Ethereum blockchain become the ideal platform for their experiment?[06:41]
How is this data actually stored?[08:35]
Were there similar art projects going on at this time?[11:13]
Who came up with the name “CryptoPunks,” and why was this format selected?[11:58]
Why did they decide on limiting the number of CryptoPunks to 10,000?[12:58]
Do Matt and John have any personal favorite CryptoPunks?[18:24]
How many CryptoPunks have gone missing?[30:09]
What are Autoglyphs, what inspired their creation, and how do they work?[39:39]
What other NFT projects do Matt and John find interesting and impressive?[45:41]
People mentioned
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