McKayla Maroney Is Auctioning Off Her 'Not Impressed' Meme as an NFT
Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney is auctioning off her "Not Impressed" meme as an NFT. But what is its value? Here's what we know.
Aug. 12 2021, Published 2:03 p.m. ET
The name of 2012 Olympic gold medalist McKayla Maroney might not ring many bells, but you will probably know her face. During the 2012 Olympics, a picture of her was taken after she won a sliver medal in gymnastics. The picture went viral as the "Not Impressed" meme. Over the years, the image has been used by tons of people including celebrities in all kinds of creative ways.
Now, nine years later, Maroney is trying to make the most out of her internet fame. She's selling the meme as an NFT. But what is its value and how much is it worth? If Maroney has any say, she's hoping that it could make her at least $1 million dollars.
What is the value of McKayla Maroney's NFT?
Right now, the value of the NFT can't be truly determined until it sells, but Maroney is looking at a price tag of at least $1 million, according to The New York Post. The person who wins the bid will get the NFT, a private gymnastics lesson, a meet-and-greet, a signed copy of her upcoming book, and she will follow the person on Twitter.
"There really has been a gap in sports and capturing iconic moments like that," Maroney said to TMZ Sports. "And to put my meme out, I’m just so excited to do that because it’s something that meant a lot to me and it really changed my life." Later on, she said, "I think it just stands for being imperfect is okay."
The meme was a huge part of pop culture and celebrities all over have made the same "not impressed" face over the years. Her fame because of it was even seen by then President Barack Obama. The two took a photo together where they both made the famous face.
How can you get the NFT?
Currently, the NFT is up for auction on the website OpenSea. So far, there have been a handful of bids. According to TMZ, the starting bid was 15 Ethereum, which converts to about $47,776. Currently, the highest is only worth $21,413.35 or seven Ethereum. One bid was made by viral internet sensation NyanCat and is worth $305.90.
According to TMZ, users can bid on the NFT until Aug. 17 and the bids can only be made through Ethereum. For Maroney to reach the $1 million mark, someone would have to bid 318 Ethereum. Unfortunately for her, none of the bids so far are even close to that goal.
In the NFT's description on OpenSea, Maroney says that she's releasing it now in honor of the 2021 Gymnastics Team ending their competitions. She also calls her "Not Impressed" meme one of the first viral memes on the internet. The NFT is a part of a group of art pieces called "The McKayla Collection." It's comprised of not only the NFT but paintings she made herself and digitally scanned.