The guide separates enduring NFT projects from mere speculation through five criteria: a durable cultural footprint, continuity led by artists or communities, reach beyond crypto, infrastructural legacy and lessons for creators. CryptoPunks, launched for free by Larva Labs in June 2017 with 10,000 algorithmically generated characters, became the template for the digital profile picture; Yuga Labs acquired the intellectual property in 2022 before the nonprofit Infinite Node Foundation took full control in May 2025. Art Blocks popularized long-form generative art by placing algorithms on the blockchain, while XCOPY established a visual language built around glitch imagery and digital loops. Hackatao, Sam Spratt, Jack Butcher and Azuki demonstrate, respectively, artistic continuity, narrative participation, rule-based systems and expansion into manga and trading-card games. The guide recommends assessing these legacies through primary sources, stewardship, institutional presence and their ability to inform current creative practice.
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