What Are Ordinal Maxi Biz (OMB) Ordinals & How Can You Buy Them?

Ordinals Maxi Biz (OMB) is a popular series of hand-drawn profile pictures (PFPs) inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain. They are known for their unique eyes, which range in color, and can be bought, traded, or transferred on popular marketplaces like Magic Eden and OKX. 

What Are Ordinal Maxi Biz (OMB) Ordinals?

Ordinal Maxi Biz, or OMB, is a collection of 5,141 hand-drawn PFPs on Bitcoin, created in 2023 by the pseudonymous ZK_Shark and artist Tony Tafuro, with contributions from Nullish. There are multiple collections within OMB, which can be differentiated by their eye colors. The various colors—red, blue, green, and orange—represent different on-chain traits. 

The entire OMB collection, and the broader movement in general, has often been associated with an anarchical undercurrent. For example, in June 2023, OMB encouraged other projects to buy and burn CryptoPunks NFTs. While many considered this blasphemous due to their value and status, DeGods and Bitcoin Bandits burned their CryptoPunks and earned 33 whitelist spots each for a mint. Interestingly, many of those spots were raffled off, adding to the anarchist themes associated with OMB and establishing its popularity.

How OMB Ordinals Work

The collection consists of a series of black-and-white sketched heads with colorful eyes and other Bitcoin-inspired traits. Each OMB has an eye color that corresponds with where it was inscribed. Red-eyed OMBs were the first to debut and have a low inscription number. They were followed by blue-eyed OMBs, inscribed on Block 78, the same block mined by Hal Finney. 

The green-eyed collection, released third, is notable for inscribing on Block 9, the same block mined by Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto. Orange-eyed OMBs, the latest drop, are similarly rare, as it’s also inscribed on Block 9. The size of each eye collection has also increased, as they initially issued in separate drops 100 Red Eyes, 200 Blue Eyes, 1900 Green Eyes, and 3000 Orange Eyes. 

Benefits of Owning OMB Ordinals

• “Extreme ownership:” OMB practices what they refer to as “extreme ownership,” which has no limits or restrictions. According to an X post made by founder ZK_Shark, “Once you mint your OMB it is your property to do with as you choose. You may buy, sell, trade, lend, collateralize, hypothecate, inscribe over, or destroy your OMB freely.”

• Collectors may earn future OMB Ordinals: Whenever new eye colors are released, some of the whitelist spots go to existing OMB holders. By doing this, OMB has created both a collectors’ ethos for its inscriptions and an expectation that collectors will be rewarded when future ones are dropped.

• OMBounties: OMBountis is, according to an X post made by OMB, “a grants and bounties program rewarding developers, educators, and community members that contribute to the advancement of the Bitcoin network.” Some bounties are incentives for organizations and developers that undertake Bitcoin projects, while others are open and available to OMB holders on a first-come basis. 

How to Buy Ordinal Maxi Biz

To purchase an Ordinal Maxi Biz, a user must follow these simple steps:

• Firstly, if they don’t have one, a user must set up a Bitcoin wallet that is compatible with Ordinals (i.e. Leather) and have enough bitcoin in their wallet to purchase OMBs and cover transaction fees.

• The user will then go to their preferred marketplace (i.e. Magic Eden, OKX Marketplace, etc.) and connect their wallet.

• The user will type Ordinal Maxi Biz in the search bar, scroll through the list of available OMBs, and select the one they wish to buy.

• Once the user has selected their chosen OMB, they will choose one of the three transaction fee categories (low, standard, or high) and click the button that finalizes the purchase. The user owns the OMB once the transaction is complete. 

Tips for Buying Ordinal Maxi Biz

• Be wary of pricing: Before buying an OMB, it’s important to be aware of the pricing for each Ordinal. The OMB’s current market value fluctuates, so the minimum amount (or floor price) a user will need to purchase one of these Ordinals is affected by market trends.

• Buy on well-known marketplaces: Users should consider purchasing OMBs on popular, trusted marketplaces like Magic Eden or OKX. They typically have protocols that create a safe environment for both buyers and sellers and ensure that the Ordinal listings are verified.

• Verify before purchasing: Details like Inscription ID and #, ownership history, and Sat details can be independently verified using a blockchain explorer or by matching them up with the official OMB collection

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Buying OMB Ordinals

• Not checking the market: The floor price of OMB Ordinals changes depending on how much current market trends affect their value. Therefore, if price is a concern when buying an OMB Ordinal, always do market research on sites like CoinMarketCap or CoinGecko. 

• Not verifying the OMB Ordinal’s authenticity: It’s always important to verify the OBM’s details and owner to avoid purchasing a scam or inauthentic Ordinal. Confirm that that information, like Inscription ID and Sat Number, matches with the official OBM collection and that the Ordinal’s ownership history lines up. 

• Being unprepared for network congestion: Ordinals are large, complex data files that can slow down the Bitcoin network. This means that users will have to pay higher transaction fees to compensate. If the Bitcoin network gets congested, the user might see their transaction delayed or even canceled if it’s stuck in the mempool for too long. 

Future of OMB Ordinals

In April 2024, famed auction house Christie’s announced it would host an Ordinal Maxi Biz sale that showcases the collection. The Christie’s auction incorporated a variety of OMBs, including a lot of red, blue, green, and orange-eyed Ordinals. It also featured three unique pieces of art: ‘Artist Journal’ and ‘This is Me’ by Tony Tafuro, and ‘Recording in Progress’ by berkin bags. 

While this was not the first auction house to conduct an OMB sale, this one with Christie’s represented a substantial moment for Ordinals. A high-profile sale such as this demonstrates the popularity and market strength these inscriptions have retained and will continue to maintain in the future. According to a press release from Christie’s, ZK_Shark stated, “Christie’s global presence further solidifies Bitcoin as the world’s top cryptocurrency and the premiere destination for fine digital artifacts and documentation. OMB Cannot Be Stopped.”