Frequently Asked Questions

First Edition Curated Digital Collectibles, in the form of NFTs issued on the XRP Ledger, referencing high-quality, faithful digital representations of various iconic, public domain paintings.

NFTs are tamper-proof records in a database. These records are claims of ownership of specific digital files, while the database that hosts them operates as a blockchain (this is important).

In the case of Sapiens Masterpices, the chosen blockchain is called the "XRP Ledger", and the digital files themselves are faithful digital reproductions of iconic paintings that exists in the public domain in the United Kingdom.

For a thorough walkthrough of Crypto, NFTs and specifically Sapiens Masterpieces NFTs, please refer to Education.

Their historical and digital significance.

For instance, Sapiens Masterpieces minted the first-ever XRPL NFT representing a high-quality image of the Girl with a Pearl Earring. Because blockchain entries are immutable, no such earlier NFT minted on the XRP Ledger can ever exist, and this is the first one.

This is similar to how early postage stamps can be collectible: they were among the first pieces of essential public infrastructure for a new era of communication. In the same spirit, early "firsts" on a blockchain can be meaningful as historical artifacts of a new digital infrastructure.

NFTs are high-risk. Resale is not guaranteed and you may lose all the money you spend. See Disclaimers.

You can verify any Sapiens Masterpieces NFT via Bithomp's NFT Explorer.

  1. Open Bithomp's NFT Explorer
  2. Search for the artwork name (e.g. "Girl with a Pearl Earring")
  3. Sort results by Oldest mints
  4. The Sapiens Masterpieces mint should appear at the top of the list.

Maybe. If an NFT is available, you can buy it like a digital collectible using a compatible XRP Ledger wallet. Once owned, the NFT can elevate the status of any wallet address on the XRPL and this can be verified publicly on-chain. Availability varies, some pieces may already be owned, while others may be listed for sale or open to offers.

Please see below the xrp.cafe marketplace links for The Original Collection, as well as for The Sister Collection.

Because they are independent of any single server or hosting provider.

Sapiens Masterpieces NFTs reference IPFS by default, so they are content-addressed, not location-addressed. That means the NFT points to the file itself, rather than a server URL that could change or disappear. This makes them independent of any third-party hosting and are therefore built for long-term durability (see this educational piece for a more detailed explanation of this). That said, continued access does depend on the long-term availability of the IPFS network.

We strongly advise NFT holders to securely store copies of the two files related to the NFT ("The Metadata" and "The Digital Image"). In the unlikely event that the files become unpinned from the IPFS network, pinning can be restored as long as the exact digital files are preserved. Thes two files are provided free of charge on the relevant NFT's dedicated page.

We chose the XRP Ledger (XRPL) because it supports NFTs natively at the protocol level (XLS-20), rather than relying on smart contracts that are dependant upon a custom design by a third party. That makes XRPL NFTs more standardised and predictable.

Yes. We issue invoices for all NFT sales. Please visit invoicing for more information.