Popular, long-running children’s TV show Sesame Street announced this week that it was joining the digital art world and launching a collection of Cookie Monster NFTs. Sesame Workshop will release 5,555 editions costing $60 each on Sunday , the first in a series featuring Sesame Street characters.
The PBS show, now in its 54th year, has joined forces with VeVe, an app that serves as a platform for the buying and selling of licensed digital collectibles. Its first foray into the world of non-fungible tokens is an image of the Cookie Monster beside an oven, which presumably has cookies baking inside.
Here are 10 other pop culture characters, brands and moments that have been turned into NFTs.
1. Coca-Cola
The world-famous soft drink brand launched four NFT collections in 2021 to celebrate its first anniversary in the metaverse.
Partnering with 3D art platform Tafi it auctioned a multisensory NFT inside a Friendship Box, which is itself another NFT.
The piece included a custom-designed Coca-Cola Bubble Jacket, featuring an unlockable version that could be worn in the Decentraland 3D virtual reality platform. Proceeds from the auction went to the Special Olympics.
2. Star Wars
Disney released its first NFT collection in May last year via blind box format, a framework similar to buying packs of trading cards without knowing exactly which are inside.
The Star Wars Dark Side Collection was launched with three Darth Vader NFTs: Dark Lord of the Sith, Beware the Dark Side and The Emperor’s Fist.
Disney also released the Lightsaber NFTs collection, which included Luke Skywalker, Yoda and Kylo Ren’s weapons.
3. The NBA
The National Basketball Association labelled its 2020 foray into NFTs “Top Shot”, selling digital versions of sports trading cards using blockchain technology.
They include video highlights of NBA and WNBA teams and players, and collectors can participate in challenges to win more.
Moments up for grabs include those by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards.
4. Spider-Man
Marvel swung into the NFT-verse with a launch of digital Spider-Man collectibles in 2021.
The studio partnered with VeVe to create five limited-edition categories, including rare, ultra-rare and secret-rare collectables, all priced between $40 and $400.
It followed up with a Captain America series collection.
5. Doge meme
The image of a shiba inu dog named Kabosu looking at the camera with suspicion first appeared online in 2010 and went on to become one of the internet’s most popular memes.
Called “Doge”, in June 2021, it became the most expensive meme NFT ever sold. A group of collectors known as PleasrDAO bought the piece for $4 million (1,697 of the cryptocurrency Ethereum).
Don Caldwell, editor-in-chief of online database Know Your Meme, called Doge “one of the most iconic memes in internet history”.
6. Nickelodeon’s ‘Rugrats’ and ‘Hey Arnold’
The popular children’s cartoons were given the NFT treatment when 10,000 unique collectibles were released last year, featuring images of the characters and memorable moments from the show.
The network teamed up with Recur to add NFTs of 12 characters from the shows Invader Zim and AAAHH!!! Real Monsters.
7. Funko Pops
The team behind the pop culture character miniatures make regular digital collectibles of their series in the shape of Funko Digital Pops.
They are animated and come in limited print runs with varying levels of rarity.
Top-selling releases include Scooby Doo, Star Trek and popular US painter, Bob Ross.
8. Lay’s Potato Chips
The global crips brand owned by PepsiCo entered the NFT market in 2021 with its “Share smiles with Lay’s” collection.
The digital asset featured over 3,000 smiles, with the online auction raising over $300,000, which was donated to charity.
9. Disney
The Mouse House offers an array of collectables as part of its Golden Moments Disney NFT collection, which was launched last year.
The collection includes the Magic Lamp from Aladdin which grants the original buyer two special wishes from VeVe; The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey from the 1940s animation Fantasia and Elsa from Frozen.
10. Hello Kitty
The beloved Japanese character created by Sanrio was launched as an NFT in August 2022 with a drop of 10,000 collectibles focused on six characters from Hello Kitty and Friends.
The NFTs were sold in suitcase packs with which collectors could “travel” the world completing challenges and collecting special stamp NFTs in Premium, Rare, or Ultra-Rare categories.
