Quick Take: In 2022, Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC) floors regularly cleared 20 ETH (peaking around 40 ETH). SUPERPLASTIC shipped rapid‑fire collabs (BAYC “SUPERBORED,” Paris Hilton, the Mutant “Melvin” figures). Fast‑forward to today: prices are a fraction of those peaks, while marketplaces like OpenSea (Seaport / OpenSea Pro) and Rarible have leveled up the rails. If you believed the 2022 valuations were “true value,” current entry points look like a steal—our opinion, not advice.
What 2022 Felt Like: The 20+ ETH Season
Timelines were ape‑heavy, Otherside teasers were everywhere, and gas wars were a nightly sport. MAYC, BAYC’s mutant sibling, rode the wave with a floor that cleared 20 ETH for stretches and printed an ATH near 40 ETH in early May 2022. It wasn’t just isolated grails—broad, persistent demand pushed volumes into nine‑figure territory during the peak months.
SUPERPLASTIC Then: Culture Engine Mode
While floors climbed, SUPERPLASTIC ran like a studio: the SUPERBORED drop with BAYC used tight, 15–30 minute windows at a $222 price point; Paris Hilton partnered on Paris: Past Lives, New Beginnings; then came the Mutant moment—“Meet the Melvins”—with a holder‑exclusive Melvin and the public Melvin 2.0, each open for just 30 minutes.
SUPERPLASTIC Now: A Pause & Why It Matters
In 2025, founder Paul Budnitz shared a frank letter: small‑batch vinyl is tough when tariffs jump and there’s effectively no U.S. vinyl production. Result: a temporary pause on toys. It’s a reminder that macro and manufacturing can throttle even the most creative pipelines—and it quietly elevates existing pieces as artifacts of that era.
Why We Think Today’s Prices Are a “Steal” (Our View)
- Price dislocation: Versus those 20–40 ETH 2022 floors, today’s entries for notable collections are a fraction of peak pricing.
- Better market plumbing: OpenSea’s Seaport lowered gas and setup friction; OpenSea Pro aggregates venues; Rarible leaned into community marketplaces and a creator‑forward stance on royalties.
- Survivor IP: BAYC/MAYC and SUPERPLASTIC remain cultural reference points—a good sign when markets filter the field.
| Aspect | 2022 Peak Cycle | 2025 Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Market Tone | Euphoria, rising floors, gas wars | Compressed prices, builder focus |
| SUPERPLASTIC | Rapid collabs & time‑boxed vinyl drops (SUPERBORED, Melvin) | Toy production paused; brand & IP still culturally relevant |
| Marketplaces | Fragmented UX; higher gas | Seaport savings, OpenSea Pro aggregation, Rarible community markets |
| Collector Edge | Speed (catch the drop) | Selection & tooling (sweep, cross‑market bids, smarter fees) |
On Our Shelf: MAYC Curtis & Melvin Variants
On‑Chain Apes & Culture Cameos
Starting (or Re‑Entering) Smart in 2025
- Track floors & depth across venues instead of anchoring to a single listing.
- Use pro tooling: Seaport‑enabled purchases, OpenSea Pro aggregation, and Rarible’s community markets when you want project‑native venues.
- Favor durable IP—collections & brands with cross‑overs, physicals, and memes that persist.
- Cycle‑aware mindset: Buy when infrastructure improves and narratives reset.
Sources & Links
Market references and background reading: MAYC floor & ATH · OpenSea Seaport · OpenSea Pro overview · Rarible (community marketplaces & royalties) · SUPERPLASTIC: “What Happened to Toys” · SUPERBORED drop (archived) · Meet the Melvins (archived) · Rule Mobile MAYC #12008 (OpenSea) · Paris Hilton BAYC #1294 (OpenSea) · Snoop Dogg BAYC #6723 (OpenSea) · Justin Bieber BAYC #3001 (OpenSea).
