Since the first of seven LFD NFTs went up for auction on the 11th, each one has garnered tens of thousands of dollars more than the minimum starting bid of $20,000. Though LFD’s marketing collateral has yet to be updated to reflect the 6th sale as of this writing, their auction partner UREEQA lists the final winning bid as $79,001. Now that only one remains, it will be interesting to see what the remaining demand does to impact the 7th auction. With just over 27 hours left until a final winner is named, the highest bid has already risen to $64,500. Grand total so far, excluding the ongoing final auction, is $513,000. **UPDATE 8/25: The final NFT sold for a dollar over $98,001, bringing the total to just a few hundred dollars short of $615,000 for all 7.
For all the build up and marketing, one can’t be sure yet whether or not LFD considers this campaign a success or not. Out of reach for most enthusiasts, with winning bids as high as $92,000, the multi-NFT auction was an innovative way to push the boundaries of an industry typically very set in its ways. Speaking to cigar fans every day since the auctions began, those who are excited by the newly minted tokens appeared to be almost equal in number to those who had no idea about any of it.
Everyone that I corresponded with, it is worth noting, was familiar with LFD and had enjoyed their cigars before. That gave way to an interesting thought, did this campaign reach anyone who didn’t already know LFD? Did it attract anyone to the brand who wasn’t already familiar? More importantly, did the NFT aspect bring in new people who were then turned off by the high minimums and higher winning bids? Whatever the answers, LFD did something bold and the more of that we can experience as cigar lovers the better! If it all plays out as intended, we’ll still be discussing this series of 7 a decade from now – and that’s the beauty of trying risky things, big rewards if all goes as planned. There may never have been any real risk, however, as LFD and the Gomez family have more than cemented their place in the Pantheon of cigars.
Those who purchase one of the NFTs will gain the right to buy up to 70 Golden Bull cigars per month for as long as they own the NFT. La Flor Dominicana guarantees that these seven NFT owners will be the only people in the world who can buy The Golden Bull, and that they will only be available directly from LFD. Owners of the NFTs will be allowed to re-sell the digital asset in the future, transferring the right to purchase the cigars to a new owner. Announced back in April, the Golden Bull cigar itself is a 42 x 6.25” Lonsdale version of the much discussed Andalusian Bull. The blend has been kept private until now, reserved only for Litto and Tony Gomez and their friends.
Along with the option of being able to purchase this blend in the future, each of the 7 original owners will receive a humidor – in the shape and finish of a gold bar – filled with 50 Golden Bulls. Manufactured in Spain by the experts at @humidores_wacota, each humidor is encrusted with an 18k gold LFD emblem.
What do you think Cigar Public, was the juice worth the squeeze for this project? Will we not know the real impact until years from now when The Golden Bull is out in the world? I’d love to hear about it all in the comments below!