OK, hidden gems might not be the best term for these projects, some of them are very well known but you get the idea.
If you are new to NFTs and want to get your feet wet with a solid project but don’t have 2000+ ADA to buy a Clay or Chilled Kong then these projects are worth looking into. We’ve picked 5 projects to look at based on some very simple criteria:
- Accessible floor price, under 100 ADA (at time of this going live!)
- Solid community
- Project is active and building
We know we will have missed some out, we’ve only picked 5, know that this is not an exhaustive list and if a project isn’t listed it doesn’t mean we don’t like it.
Before we get into it just a quick note. This post is purely opinion, not financial advice. We have not been paid to include any projects. We do hold some ourselves, though not all. We will let you know which we hold in the post below. Do Your Own Research.
Derp Birds
I own Derp Birds, in fact one of mine used to be the logo of this website.
Derp Birds have been around quite a while, are probably considered an OG project and are still very accessible for people new to CNFTs.
There have been multiple drops including the Derp Birds themselves, Derp Apes and Preds, all of which you can get for under 100 ADA. Derp Birds floor price has risen quite sharply recently, you can still pick up Derp Apes under 100ADA though.
Derp Birds, for me, are one of the most professionally ran projects in the space, they don’t shy away from uncomfortable conversations around project funding and sustainability as this Twitter thread shows.
They are also one of the most innovative projects in the space having invested a lot of time and money into developing their own multi-sig minting solution, you can read more about this in our interview with the team.
I definitely recommend digging into Derp Birds and doing some research. In my opinion this a very accessible, well run project with a tight community.
Check out the Derp Birds listings on JPG Store.
Zombie Chains
The next project to look at is Zombie Chains. It always surprises me to see the floor price so low for these as the art is fantastic and you can pick a Zombie Hunter for even less.
Again, I do own Zombie Chains/Hunters and I am a fan of the project. We recently interviewed the artist behind the project, Brian Allen.
Aside from the high quality art, Zombie Chains are another project that are looking to innovate with their drops. The Zombie Hunter drop for example was a 3 in one mint. You got a PFP sized image, an extended Twitter post style image and a Twitter Banner size all in one NFT.
There are now Zombie trading cards which all verified holders can claim, set 2 has just become available.
The project makes a point of saying they do not have a roadmap as they want people to buy for the art BUT that doesn’t mean they don’t have plans for the future of the project.
The art alone makes the price very appealing but i’d definitely recommend doing some research into the team behind the project too.
Check out the Zombie Chains listings on JPG Store or alternatively, for a lower floor price, the Zombie Hunters.
Universe 25
Universe 25 is another project with a solid community that has seen it’s popularity increase recently.
Over the last few days they held an auction on Artano for fan art which included a submission from our friend and designer of our logo, Henry TG (see the image).
They have an interesting road map ahead including staking and token rewards. They have a new drop coming later called Euphoria.25 though this will not be a simple drop/mint. You will need to hold a number of items including a human NFT from the earlier drop.
To manage the above they are developing a bespoke minting system, more info on this can be found in the documentation.
I do feel like Universe.25 is being slept on a little, including by myself as I don’t yet own any, but the community seems to be waking up to them.
The floor price, at time of publishing, is very attractive and I would definitely recommend digging into their documentation and Discord to find out more.
Check out the Universe.25 listings on JPG Store.
ADA Ninjaz
Similar to Derp Birds, ADA Ninjaz have been around a while and similar again to Derp Birds they seem to be another professionally run project to the point that they have rebranded as a multimedia entertainment business.
We interviewed Zushan, one of the founders, way back in November and we have a follow up interview coming soon (UPDATE: Read it here).
They’ve already had 2 successful drops, S1 the Aramar clan and S2 the Atsuko clan, both of which can be bought on secondary for under 100ADA and the 3rd clan, Daisuke is dropping soon.
ADA Ninjaz have a lot coming up, not just the S3 mint including a $NINJAZ token, NFT staking and are in very early discussions over an animated series.
The project has a strong community around it and seemingly big plans for the future.
I would definitely recommend checking out the ADA Ninjaz website to learn a little more about the project/business and where it is going.
Check out JPG Store for the ADA Ninjaz Aramar or Atsuko Listings.
Tavern Squad
Tavern Squad is an interesting project. A real slow burner when it launched that seemed to catch fire all of sudden and sell out. The artwork is very cool and matches the theme of the project very well.
Admittedly I do not own any Tavern Squad, but I have been keeping an eye on them. I do now own a Tavern Squad 🙂
The project will appeal to fans of RPG games and the project itself promises a story that holders can be a part of and gamification further down the line. The story/lore is already starting on the website where you can read the first two chapters, or even listen along as it’s read to you by a voice actor!
They are also working on a new feature called Dungeon Raids where you will be able to send your NFT into the Dungeon on various raids for potential rewards.
I’m looking forward to hearing more about this as it progresses.
On the whole Tavern Squad seem to have a tight knit community and a solid team behind them. Time will tell how they progress from here but at the current entry price it’s well worth digging into the project and finding out more.
Check out JPG Store for Tavern Squad NFTs available on the secondary market.
We hope you found the above interesting and helpful. If you are new to NFTs then I would recommend doing some research into existing projects, particularly those that have been around a while and are actively building.
If you are new to NFTs on Cardano and have any questions by all means drop us a line or get in touch on Twitter.
i have Ada Ninjaz since s1 and they have created something wonderful and they have always delivered! looking forward to the s3, the coin and much more! especially looking forward to the physical manga i have ordered and will soon be with me