TL;DR: With a new update or NFT collection being released almost every day, it’s clear the crypto ecosystem is constantly evolving. Sappy Seals is one of the NFT collections paving the road to the digital universe — but it’s just the beginning. Knowing what brought it here and why it was created will lead you to make better decisions when investing or simply interacting with Sappy Seals.

In this article, we’re gonna dive into the Sappy Seals lore, answer all the Sappy Seals related questions and even more. Prepare yourself for a fantasy story and a journey to the future of Sappy Seals!

What is Sappy Seals?

Sappy Seals is an NFT collection of 10,000 adorable seals that live on the Ethereum blockchain.

Owning an NFT is different than screenshooting a JPEG - just like holding an original Rembrandt is more valuable than owning a replica. As their name suggests, NFTs are non-fungible by design. This is different from digital tokens like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Fungible assets can be exchanged for another asset of the same type, much like BTC, ETH, or even fiat. NFTs, on the other hand, are unique assets where their ownership details are documented on the blockchain, ensuring digital scarcity and unique attributes for each asset.

But how exactly is digital scarcity being enforced?

The concept of NFTs first emerged in 2012 with the creation of Colored Coins, which could be used to represent real-world assets on the blockchain. However, Colored Coins only worked in a permitted environment, making it more similar to a database than anything else.

As the crypto industry became more popular, people have continued to experiment with the idea of a digitally scarce asset. This led to the creation of ERC-721 and ERC-1155.

The ERC-721 standard is like a set of rules for making NFTs. These actions help in making special tokens with their unique information, making them different from one another.

Behind the scenes, ERC-721 smart contracts keep a list of who owns which token, making it safe to pass tokens from one person to another. The contract also keeps count of how many tokens there are altogether and how many each person has.

As previously mentioned, Sappy Seals NFTs are secured by the Ethereum blockchain. Ownership and transaction history are publicly visible on the Ethereum blockchain along with other important info such as the NFT's metadata.

Understanding how to access an NFT's metadata is essential for holders to grasp the specifics of what they're buying.

Metadata usually includes visual attributes like color, type, wearables, and so on. On the blockchain, it looks something like this:

Sappy Seals have their own set of traits that make up their uniqueness. These are body, extra, face, head, and skin.

Some traits are rarer than others, which makes a specific NFT stand out from the rest. For example, there are only 20 seals wearing a Black Kimono.

The Sappy Seals NFT collection has been autogenerated. This means that out of the potential combinations, only 10,000 Sappy Seals will ever exist!

What is the utility of Sappy Seals?

Sappy Seals makes for an awesome avatar pic, but it’s also your ticket to the Sappy Seals ecosystem.

The biggest utility for Sappy Seals NFTs is staking, powered by $BLUBBR.

In simple terms, $BLUBBR represents a DAO/governance token earned by staking your $SEAL NFTs. This token will enable voting on proposals such as the allocation of funds from the Treasury and can be farmed by Sappy Seal NFT holders in $BLUBBR/$ETH pools. Farming in this pool will allow the creation of exclusive NFTs used within the metaverse, like custom cosmetics, pets, gear, homes, store fronts, and other community-driven creations.

To maintain the utility token's stability, the team will regulate the staking and farming emission rates to prevent hyperinflation.

The farmable NFTs generated from the $BLUBBR/$ETH pool will vary in scarcity and will only be available for short periods. Once the pool closes, the minting opportunity for these NFTs will be permanently closed.

Currently, $BLUBBR has four separate pools, each with different time commitments. The lowest tier pool requires a commitment of one week, whereas the highest tier pool necessitates four weeks. Although users can exit the pool before their committed time, doing so will incur a tax, and the exact percentage of LP-tokens will be voted upon in the future.

To encourage providing liquidity for longer periods, the team has developed the following farm enomics:

- Minimum LP token thresholds will be required to qualify, preventing sudden dumps by predatory farmers.

- A standard tax will be imposed on those exiting the pool before fulfilling the minimum commitment, with the proceeds directed to the Treasury and other liquidity providers.

- Longer time commitment pools will generate much rarer items. Completing the full four weeks will grant a "tax collector" card, offering a revenue share of the farming protocol.

- Once a specific number of Seal Gear NFTs are minted, the pool will close to start a new rotation.

• Seal Gear NFTs will be stackable, further incentivizing early adopters to engage in the ecosystem.
  
  Beyond their rarity, Sappy Seals offer utility within the Pixlverse. They are integral to the Sappy Seals game within the Pixlverse, and the sole method to acquire the native currency, $PIXL, is by staking your seal. This generates a robust demand for Sappy Seals, as people seek these rare seals to earn $PIXL, enabling them to acquire gear for their Seals and its Pixl token.
  
  Furthermore, the long-term goal of transforming Sappy Seals into a lifestyle brand, incorporating collectables, branded content, and merchandise, adds substantive value to the collection, elevating it beyond a mere digital collectable.
  
  In addition to these developments, the Sappy Seals project is actively crafting a metaverse and a DAO. These initiatives will provide users with further opportunities to utilize their seals and the $PIXL token. The marketplace for exclusive metaverse items is already operational, and the project's legal team is engaged in IP licensing, allowing holders to delve into brand monetization.

As the Sappy Seals brand expands, NFT holders will be able to continually earn rewards. Whether you are hodling for a season or longer, the Sappy Seals ecosystem continues to explore new ways of keeping holders engaged.

Who created Sappy Seals?

Sappy Seals was created by a team of six passionate creators in August 2021. Out of the six co-founders, Wab.eth first came up with the idea and then went to assemble his team.

Wab was inspired by the cuteness and appeal of pudgy penguins, with seals resonating with him personally as his Discord profile picture had featured a baby seal for several years.

His journey into crypto started during the 2020 bull run when a friend introduced him to the frenzied crypto space. Learning about Uniswap and the potential for earnings in the crypto space, Wab got involved in various trends, from Ethereum to altcoins. Wab later discovered NFTs, and was inspired by community-driven projects like 24px. This encounter with the crypto communities inspired him to create an NFT collection of his own.

The mint event of Sappy Seals went live on September 2, 2021. To Wob’s surprise, the collection sold out in less than 5 minutes at 0.06 ETH.

Another important member of the team is Camol, who joined Sappy Seals shortly after the project went live.

The initial connection between Camol and Wab.eth began with Camol's purchase of seals from the Sappy Seals NFT collection and his playful interactions in the Discord channel. Camol found the seals appealing due to his previous affection for winter bear NFTs, a fact he humorously shares as part of his backstory.

Upon buying the seals, Camol entered the Discord channel and started teasing and taunting Wab, expressing his dissatisfaction and stating that he had done more for Sappy Seals in a day than Wab had in his entire life. Wab found Camol's unconventional approach intriguing and responded in a similar vein, initiating a playful banter between them. This unexpected engagement from Wab, a project founder, struck a chord with Camol, leading him to continue interacting and eventually invest more in the project.

Wab recalls how Camol was a bit irritating in the Discord channel initially but exhibited a good-natured attitude. This contrasted with other interactions as holders rarely got attention or engagement from project founders. Wab found Camol's persistence and positive reaction to their interactions quite appealing and thought, "I kind of like this guy." This marked the initial stages of their rapport and laid the foundation for a connection that led to more involvement in the project and eventually working together.

Camol's journey into the NFT world started in his college years when he was flipping sneakers with friends. Camol's entry into the NFT market began when his friend profited from selling a flamingo picture for $2,000. The initially sceptical group made fun of this concept but were soon intrigued when the friend made $20,000 from a Mad Dog Jones NFT the next day.

His pursuit then led him to the NBA Top Shot market. His friend's insistence on Ethereum-based NFTs like Bored Ape Yacht Club led Camol to dip his toes into this space, albeit reluctantly, dismissing Ethereum as a "Ponzi token."

Three other team members played a pivotal role in bootstrapping Sappy Seals. They are: Ephi, Gunga.eth, and 0xCryptoKass.

Ephi has the least experience in the NFT space compared to the rest. His prior background is in gaming and esports.

Ganga started out as an engineer, primarily focused on Web2 development. In 2021, Ganga began exploring Web3 and engaged with other NFT projects as both a buyer and contributor. His attention was piqued by the recent success of Sappy Seals due to its community engagement and the team's intelligence, leading to his active involvement in the project.

Kass is no longer involved in the project as of June 2022, but his departure is worth exploring.

Kass, along with 'ABigCryptoMan,' initially joined the Sappy Seals team just before the Pixl Pets mint in August 2021. However, Kass departed due to personal reasons but later returned in mid to late October, requesting his position back within the team.

Before the Pixl Pets mint, Kass became more active in the team after Wab took a step back from day-to-day operations, explaining that Wab was stressed and burnt out. However, it was later revealed that Wab's distancing was due to Kass's behaviour, which was hostile and affected the entire team.

Kass's management style was described as abusive and intolerant. He frequently bullied and verbally abused team members, creating an environment where team members couldn't voice their opinions due to fear of being berated.

After the mint, the team confronted Kass about his behaviour, leading to a reorganization to represent the team's values better. However, Kass didn't uphold the commitment to step back from day-to-day operations.

A dispute arose between QQ (the lead developer) and Kass, causing QQ and his team to leave the project. The team resolved the conflict with QQ, who rejoined and expanded his team for Pixlverse development.

Kass later falsely claimed that QQ wasn't expanding the team as promised, and the team discussed ending their relationship with QQ. Kass hastily terminated the relationship, withholding information about payments from the rest of the team, which was unethical.

Due to Kass's mistreatment of financially vulnerable team members (Jah, Mooney, QQ), Jah and Mooney founded Squishiverse, ensuring their ownership. The team initially planned a public resolution but decided to handle it privately due to disagreements with Kass's representation.

After Kass launched a Twitter attack against Squishiverse, the team realized Kass's actions were detrimental. The team found a consensus, discovering Kass's deceitful behaviors, and aimed to amicably end their relationship with him, ensuring community funds were secured.

Presently, Sappy Seals boasts 4,400+ owners, constituting an expansive and diverse enthusiast community. The Sappy Seals community is highly active on Twitter, known for its vibrant engagement. Encountering Sappy Seals' tweets, one may have observed the community's unique practice of “Arfing,” emulating the sound produced by real seals, often used as a cheerful way to greet and express excitement 🦭

Who is developing Sappy Seals now?

Sappy Seals is being maintained by Pixl Labs and the Sappy Seals community.

Initially, the project had a straightforward plan, focusing on merchandise and pledging $40,000 to The Ocean Cleanup. However, considering the progress within Web3, Wab in collaboration with Camol expanded the Sappy Seals brand into the metaverse. This expansion gave birth to PixlLabs and Pixlverse, a metaverse uniting various communities for gaming, socializing, and financial activities.

Sappy Seals is set to coexist in a shared space alongside other thriving communities such as Llamaverse, Caked Apes, WeAre24Px, Chubbiverse, BearX, and Axolittles. Users from these diverse communities will have the ability to create, interact, and explore each other’s worlds seamlessly.

The Pixl and Sappy Seals communities are interconnected via what they call the Pixelverse. Sappy Seals serves as the founding community along with Winter Bears and 24px.

Sappy Seals also has a governance structure powered by the BLUBBR token. For now, Discord serves as the place where proposals are being discussed.

When it comes to the long-term vision, the Pixl Labs team have come up with a roadmap of sorts, called “The Grand Plan.”

The team’s roadmap looks more like a treasure map, waiting for users to unravel its mysteries. Packed with upcoming Sappy Seals launches, cool collaborations, and fresh innovations, it’s got collectors all in a tizzy trying to decode each illustrated clue in the image. Sappy Seals even hinted that there’s a hidden gift tucked away in there!

Right now, the only guarantee is this: “Get ready for tons more of these antics as we kick things up a notch and fancy up the whole brand,” the team shared on Twitter.

Investors are also an important component of every NFT ecosystem. Although they don’t get involved directly in the governance of the project, they do exert an influence over the brand’s expansion into the mainstream. As of 2023, Sappy Seals hasn’t pursued any strategic funding.

How does Sappy Seals make money?

Now, let’s get to the juicy part – how does Sappy Seals make money?💰 (No, flipping and rug pulling are not the correct answers)

The answer to this question is strongly related to intellectual property.

Think of popular trademarks such as Mickey Mouse, Spider-Man, or Coca-Cola. Every time you see movies, books merch, or posters with them, know that the owners of the IP get a share of the profits. The same thing goes for NFT holders, in theory.

When it comes to NFTs, it’s quite challenging to fit them into the traditional framework of copyright law. To give more context, owning an NFT doesn’t mean holders have automatic control over the creative work. This creative control needs to be granted by the creator.

As such, NFT holders should pay attention to what IP rights, if any, come with owning the NFT.

As of 2023, the project’s legal team is working on IP licensing. This will allow holders to tap into the monetization of their brands. 

Another way of generating revenue is via royalties. Sappy Seals enforces 4.5% royalties on secondary NFT sales. After the mint event, Sappy Seals decided to channel 2.5% of the royalties to the DAO, where holders will decide the allocation of funds.

The mission of Sappy Seals is to make the collection a lifestyle brand with collectibles, branded content, and merch. 

To accomplish their dreams and vision, the team has initiated the complete rebranding of Sappy Seals, introducing a comprehensive umbrella brand: Sappy. This term holdssubstantial significance and it’s adaptable across various platforms to reach broader audiences.

The team has welcomed new additions, particularly FourLeafClover and her team comprising over 18 artists, to spearhead the redesigning efforts. FourLeafClover and her team are set to deliver a steady stream of artworks, comics, mangas, and animations for the official Sappy Seals accounts.

Additionally, VO, renowned for his work with GFuel, Faze Clan, and Pudgy Penguins, has joined as a motion and graphics designer. Furthermore, Chavo, a recent hire, will actively contribute to the branding process, focusing predominantly on Pixlverse. This dynamic team will be pivotal in shaping the brand identity of Sappy, Sappy Seals, Pixlverse, and Pixl Labs.

So far, Sappy Seals has achieved a handful of milestones. Here’s a few of the most important achievements:

In 2023, Sappy Seals launched the Meme Machine, an AI-powered engine that creates new, culturally relevant pictures.

Each Sappy Seals NFT boasts its very own distinct generative AI meme. This new tech not only simplifies the process but also tailors each personalized image to suit individual NFT holders. At the heart of the Meme Machine is a top-notch Google Chrome extension named Sappy React. This tool amps up holders’ Twitter performance by offering an extensive range of standalone memes and custom meme-packs designed specifically for each NFT! Moreover, these customized memes adapt according to the user's NFT, transforming seamlessly. With a mere click on their seal profile picture on Twitter, users gain instant access to a diverse collection of iconic memes.

Additionally, Sappy Seals has revealed plans for a Meme Editor—a user-friendly meme creation suite—alongside AI Meme Generation, incorporating automation tools and sparking creative inspiration. Exploring innovative Market-2-Earn strategies, the project seeks to harness NFT communities as extensive decentralized marketing entities. Introducing a fresh collaborative Discord forum, users can freely share ideas, collaborate with the team, and offer feedback. Following this announcement, the team conducted an airdrop of "The Key of the Faithful" soulbound tokens to all holders.

In 2022, Sappy Seals have launched a merch store that features clothing and accessories with the adorable seal.

Where can I buy Sappy Seals?

You can buy Sappy Seals on OpenSea.