Hashmask Avatars
To burn or not to burn … that is the question …
The Hashmasks NFT project recently announced the upcoming release of profile avatars for Hashmask owners. There are 3 options:
- Claim a masked avatar that inherits the traits of your Hashmask
- Claim a randomly assigned unmasked avatar from a pool of 16K+
- Burn your Hashmask and get both of the options above
Technically though, there are 4 options because you can always choose to do none of the above. If the claim period is ongoing, your mask may be worth more if you don’t participate right away. At the time of writing this article, the claim period has not been decided.
Two different artists were hired for this release. Florian Schommer is creating the masked avatars while H@mm.ΞTH is creating the unmasked project. The fact that they are both males is not lost on me 😜. After seeing the Hashmask previews, I spent some time lurking their artist socials. Both are quite accomplished creators in their own lanes. Florian has a clearly defined aesthetic to his work and has carried it over into this project for some of the mask types. H@mm.ΞTH seems to have worked on several NFT pfp (profile picture) projects and finds a new look for each one while staying true to his dynamic style. Here’s a closer look:
But let’s be real, this isn’t just about which art you like more is it? To some, it’s about getting something valuable, to others it’s a combination of both aesthetic and value. So let’s look at the 3 choices using my Hashmask girl Outer Lumen.
She is definitely not a floor mask with rarity rank of 3860/16,384. She is 1/40 black bears and has a 1/22 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland book. So what makes the most sense when it comes to this new avatar drop? Below I explore the rationale behind each of these scenarios in terms of aesthetic and value.
1. Claim a masked avatar that inherits the traits of the Hashmask
Choosing this option means that Outer Lumen’s traits, and presumably her rarity transfer over to this masked avatar. Of course, I am making the assumption that rarity is preserved for the masked avatars because of the traits they inherit. Also don’t worry, I don’t just think a Hashmask’s rarity is based solely on rarity score (I see you “floor” clown masks).
So would I get a book pendant or would I get an Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland book pendant? I wonder … Looking at the two animal masks below, I like their clean aesthetic which matches the style of Florian’s other work. So far, this would be my choice, but let’s explore the other options.
2. Claim a randomly assigned unmasked avatar from a pool of 16K+
While I like the art, I don’t believe I am lucky enough to get something amazing from a random pool of 16K+ avatars. Choosing the first option guarantees an avatar that reflects the rarity of my Hashmask. I have a 1 in 4 chance of getting a random unmasked avatar in the top 4K to make it comparable to my mask. Imagine if I was hoping for the top 100? That’s 0.6%!
Personally, I think this is an amazing option for floor masks. It provides a chance at an avatar with more rarity. I don’t see anyone with a really rare mask choosing this option. Imagine your mask is in the top 10 and you end up with a floor unmasked avatar. That would be disappointing. Plus you lose a chance to show off your rare mask as a pfp. Finally, it’s hard to get a sense of the whole unmasked avatar collection from the previews below. It’s already so variable with some stunning pieces and a few that I am not partial too.
So in terms of choosing an option for Outer Lumen, Option 1 is still the best for value and aesthetic … or is it …
3. Burn your Hashmask and get both options
To determine if Option 3 makes sense, I think it’s time to make a chart comparing the options using both: a rare mask and a floor mask.
Looking at the chart above, it’s pretty easy to see that there is little benefit to going with Options 2 or 3 for a rare mask, so burning it makes little sense.
Conversely, I think Option 2 is the best one for floor masks that you are not emotionally attached to because you have a chance of getting a rare unmasked avatar. Of course if you are emotionally attached to your floor mask traits, then you may want to keep them with a masked avatar. Unless these avatars are added to a liquidity pool like the Hashmasks, burning your floor mask means you lose the opportunity to get that instant liquidity from it.
All of this speculation ultimately depends on the floor price of the avatars and the claim period. If the claim period is indefinite, I personally choose Option 4: do nothing.
I can’t wait to see what you all do with your masks!
Outer Lumen
she/her • NFT Collector/Artist/Curator • Community Builder • Browsing shill channels since March 2021 • #NFTWomen • Follow her on Twitter!
