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- ‘Genesis’ NFTs will focus on iconic Sports Illustrated covers
- EBay hopes the trust and accessibility of its platform will drive NFT sales
Online retailer EBay has sold the first ever non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on its platform, continuing its push into the world of digital and physical sports collectibles.
The first collection produced through a partnership with NFT platform OneOf will feature 3D and animated interpretations of athletes features on the cover of US sports magazine Sports Illustrated.
Canadian ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky is the subject of the first drop, with NFTs available in four tiers of rarity – diamond, platinum, gold, and green. NFTs in the green tier will start at US$10, with EBay keen to stress that the collectibles will be affordable for the everyday fan.
The company is keen to use the reach, capability, and security of its auction platform to make buying and selling NFTs as accessible as possible. The idea is that since 147 million people are used to the idea of buying goods on EBay, they might be as equally comfortable trading NFTs on its marketplace.
The first of EBay’s ‘Genesis’ NFT collection, produced through a partnership with one of, features Canadian ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.
“NFTs and blockchain technology are revolutionising the collectibles space, and are increasingly viewed as a massive opportunity for enthusiasts,” said Dawn Block, vice president of collectibles, electronics and home at eBay. “Through our partnership with OneOf, EBay is now making coveted NFTs more accessible to a new generation of collectors everywhere. This builds upon our commitment to deliver high passion, high value items to the eBay community of buyers and sellers.”
“You don’t have to be a crypto expert to buy, sell, and collect NFTs,” said Lin Dai, OneOf chief executive. “OneOf and EBay are bringing transformative Web 3.0 technology to the next 100 million non-crypto-native mass consumers.”
EBay has added several features to support the collectibles market in recent times, including price guide and collection and image scan tools, as well as an ‘authenticity guarantee’ which sees the PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) verify any card sold for more than US$2,000.
There are also plans to launch a storage facility for trading cards that will speed up the process of buying and selling trading cards and enabling fractional ownership.