He sells digital trading cards for $99 in his likeness
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday revealed another attempt at NFT sales, sharing a website offering a series of what he called “digital trading cards” for $99 each.
On a website called CollectTrumpCards.com, the 45th president is selling a series of artworks featuring likenesses of the 45th president depicted as a laser-eyed superhero, an astronaut, a John Wayne-like cowboy and, of course, a black-clad Trump . surrounded by gold bars and one of him playing golf.
In a video accompanying the launch, Trump says they are “just like a baseball card or other collectibles.”
The revelation on Thursday morning came after Trump teased a “big announcement” on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday. The post had fans and critics speculating that he was going to announce a candidate for his third run for president or maybe even drop out as he is slipping in early polls.
Instead, it was the latest money bet from the businessman.
NFTs are units of data stored on a digital ledger, called a blockchain, which certifies a digital asset to be unique and therefore non-fungible.
The creation in 2017 of a way for artists to get paid for digital art has transformed the art market, making it more accessible and affordable, and NFTs have flourished during the pandemic. Not surprisingly, prices for NFTs created by celebrity artists soared, with digital arts Pak’s “The Merge” selling to 28,983 people for a total value of $91.8 million a year ago, according to Artsper Magazine.
But Trump’s launch comes at a time when the NFT market has stagnated, with prices down 97% since the start of the year.
The video begins with Trump greeting viewers as “Hopefully your favorite president of all time, better than Lincoln, better than Washington.” He promises that buyers “will be joining a very exclusive community, my community, which I think is something you’re going to like, and you’re going to like it a lot.”
The sales launch features a “competition” with prizes including dinner with Trump; a group cocktail hour at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida; a one-on-one meeting with the former president and a round of golf. Trump is also offering individual and group Zoom sessions, signed memorabilia and “Golden Edition signed e-commerce cards” as prizes.
Fans who purchase 45 digital trading cards, which will cost $4,455 before any taxes or fees, are “guaranteed a ticket to attend a gala dinner with Trump in South Florida,” the website says.
The site accepts credit cards and cryptocurrency, and states that buyers can sell or trade their digital trading cards, including on any marketplace that accepts polygon-based NFTs.
“Remember Christmas is coming and this is a great Christmas present,” the 45th president said in a video accompanying the launch.
