BASEHEADS
Generative Emojis Synchronized to Bitcoin Blocks. 

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COLLECTION DETAILS
This minimalist collection consists of 3 simple emoji trait classes.  
16 Heads x 16 Mouths x 16 Eyes = 4096 ordinals encoded with uniquely different trait mappings to Base16 hexadecimals (0-9, a-f). These are then assigned to the last three characters of the current block hash, so that every time a new block is mined, Baseheads will deterministically render 4096 unique facial expressions according to their corresponding Hex values.

Therefore, owning just one Basehead is like owning all possible trait combinations, since all 48 recursive modules are encoded into each ordinal. However, each one remains uniquely different during any given block height as they cycle through expressions independently over the course of time. 

With Bitcoin mining an average of 144 blocks per day, each Basehead can theoretically cycle through all 4096 combinations monthly, and will continue to do so as long as Bitcoin exists.

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WHY BASE16
Mankind speaks over 7000 recorded languages, but the one universal language is mathematics. Our global numbering system is called Base10, using the digits “0-9”, and multiples of those ten digits (e.g., 1kb, 1gb, $100, $1M). But within computer science and cryptography exist many numbering systems.

Base16, also known as hexadecimal (Hex), is used by Bitcoin’s SHA256 hash function to encode each block hash. It extends Base10 by adding the letters “a-f” to represent the values 10-15. This makes reading binary data more user-friendly. Mapping the Basehead traits to Base16 allows for generative updates driven by each new block confirmation.


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WHY EMOJIS
In an age of globalization, the Internet allows mankind to traverse oceans and continents from anywhere, fostering borderless communities and bonds that supersede limitations set by geography. However, language barriers remain, making it difficult to convey tone, mood, and emotion accurately online. While AI translators help, they often fall short in expressing nuance.

This is where emojis shine, because they are universally understood, transcending language barriers. They’re more than just images—they represent specific words, moods, or emotions regardless of native tongue. And with Baseheads, Bitcoin blocks will generate those expressions in perpetuity.

Emojis add a layer of expressivity to one’s portfolio, and make excellent profile pictures (PFPs). Also, since each individual Basehead cycles through all 4096 combinations, holders can choose to capture their favorite expression to represent them online.

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ECOSYSTEM
This collection is designed to add progressive personality to your Bitcoin wallet, generating new feels throughout the day every time a new block is mined. Each change in your Basehead serves as a simple, visual cue that a new block has been confirmed.

Animating each block confirmation in this way is achieved fully on-chain, without relying on Web2 services like Telegram, Discord, or websites, which introduce additional risk vectors. However, should the community wish to create any such channels themselves, we will support those recognized by consensus to be authentic. But beware of scams. There are only two sources of truth, prioritized in this order:

The parent inscription:
9ee5ce3c61d7a2510c71a26a5952fcacdad874589cb8a38328aa1c4031648799i0

The official X account:
@Baseheads_BTC

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MINT DETAILS
To align with the Base16 theme, the Baseheads mint will also adopt a similar numerological approach. With all 48 traits encoded into each ordinal, the mint fee has been set to 1000 sats per trait (~$1) totaling 48000 sats, or 0.00048 BTC, which is roughly ~$48 USD at the time of inscription. 

The mint event is also scheduled to begin on the 16th day of the month, in the 16th year of Bitcoin’s existence - January 16th, 2025. Should there be any delays, the event will be moved to January 19th, 2025—16 days after the 16th anniversary of Bitcoin’s genesis block (January 3rd). 

An allowlist of 1616 wallets has been curated for guaranteed mints. This list includes collections from based devs and creative contributors such as Wizards of Ord, Fomojis, Satributes, Clay Collective, Hashlings, Ailu, and others. Additionally, 116 Baseheads are reserved for airdrops to qualified winners. The deployer will retain only 16 Baseheads, with the remaining 2348 ordinals open to the public. The mint fee of 0.00048 BTC remains the same for both phases. 

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FUTURE DEVELOPMENT
After two years, the Ordinals Protocol is robust, and evolving rapidly, thanks to the efforts of talented engineers like Casey, Raph, LifoFifo, and others. The development arc of Bitcoin collectibles and tokenization is fascinating and fun, but the primary purpose of the Baseheads collection remains simple: to animate Bitcoin blocks, nothing more. 

We make no promises beyond animating block confirmations, which is achieved within the collection’s code. While we have ideas for future gamification, including the possibility of re-inscriptions, nothing is guaranteed. So you should not be minting or buying Baseheads with any further expectations. This is purely for the vibes alone. Any future updates will be announced first on-chain, and secondly on X, with the verified links above. 

Side Note: On most explorers, Baseheads will update within seconds of a new block confirmation. This has been successfully tested on Ordinals.com, Ordiscan.com, Magiceden.com, and Ord.io. However, some browser extension wallets, may take several minutes to fetch and display on-chain updates. For the best experience, view your Basehead on the mentioned explorers, which should render updates in 5 seconds or less. 

Also, should you desire to collect multiple Baseheads, we recommend seeking Basehead # intervals of 256 or greater, as these will have greater variations in the Head Traits, due to their Hex offset combinations.  

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Have fun, stay safe, and smile - you hold the world’s most decentralized currency and an impermeable art gallery. 
Tick Tock, Next…Emoji. 😁