Moonsafari: Creating Community and Collecting Coins
A Vegas numismatist joins Rug Radio's DAO Council, shares his photography, and racks up some awesome Cory Van Lew PFPs.
Moonsafari.eth’s belief in the future of decentralized media has made him a huge supporter of Rug Radio. As a DAO council member, he’s looking to a future where underrepresented communities around the world can have an impact. As a collector, he values the artistry in both physical coins and NFTs. Learn more about Moonsafari in this interview with WagginWendy.
How did you discover Rug Radio, and what inspired you to become active in the Rug Radio DAO?
In late December of ‘21, I was just scrolling through Twitter late at night when I noticed a few people in the timeline discussing Rug Radio. At that point only the Membership Passes had minted, and after reading more about the concept of creating a decentralized media platform and DAO, and the potential that has to really reshape the entire business model of the internet and how that works in a more equitable way for platforms, content creators, and participants (users), I was instantly hooked.
I bought a few Membership Passes on the secondary market understanding that they were, in effect, mint passes for the coming Genesis Rug NFTs, which yield the native $Rug tokens that can be converted into the $RDAO governance tokens.
What are some of the things you’re most excited to accomplish as a member of the Rug Radio DAO council?
The DAO and its holders carry with them perhaps the most essential function – and with that a huge responsibility – for the Rug Radio business and wider Rug Radio ecosystem. Rug DAO participants get to vote on how the DAO treasury is used to further the business and brand of Rug Radio.
I think the most important part of being on the Rug DAO Council is helping $RDAO holders become more self-aware in the power they posses to really shape the future of decentralized media and how much that can positively impact people from all over the world, especially in underrepresented or marginalized communities.
I understand that you’re a senior numismatist at a Las Vegas coin and jewelry exchange. When did you initially become interested in coins, and how did you translate your interests into a career?
I caught the coin collecting bug very early in my life. I actually wanted to be an archaeologist when I was young, and coins and their intricate designs represent a visual history of the world going back 2600 years.
When I was a young adult, I worked in the film industry as a studio lighting technician but ultimately began looking for something less physically demanding on the body. Around the same time, an opportunity presented itself within numismatics and I took it and didn’t look back.
Are there parallels between working with physical coins and working with crypto and NFTs? If so, what do you find similar about the two?
Yes! So many parallels and analogs between the two industries. It’s partly why I gravitated to NFTs. It’s a collector mindset that not all possess.
When you do find others of the same kind of collector tribe, for lack of a better term, it feels good to share with them that passion for collecting and see what they want to share with you. Coins and NFTs are similar in that they typically are artistic representations of an era or epoch. They speak to future collectors and tell them what it was like in the world at the time of their creation. I know NFTs are new, but this is how I envision them as future generations collect what is being created now.
You’re also a talented photographer. What do you like to photograph and why?
Thank you for saying that! I love to go on wanderings and just shoot what’s in front of me.
As I said earlier, I worked as a lighting technician in the film industry for many years and had the pleasure of working for several different Academy Award winning and ASC cinematographers so I was able to learn a great deal about photography from many of the best to ever hold a camera.
As for what I like to shoot, it’s kind of strange. The only real stipulation for me is that the frame is clear of people. I’d say close to 99% of my finished work has no human beings in the frame. I really can’t say why. I think it just started with shooting landscapes and architectural elements, which I really love doing, and typically found my eye moving away from shots with people.
How many Cory Van Lew FOW3 (Faces of Web3) do you own? Do you have a favorite? Do you collect the work of other artists and projects as well?
I collect tons of work usually from independent artists. I love art and especially love the power and freedom of expression within digital art.
I have over 50 Faces of Web 3 PFPs now. I had more but I sold off the ones I really didn’t vibe with so I could focus on getting more that I really do vibe with and ones that are more rare and harder to collect. I just picked up a grail yesterday, which is now my new Twitter PFP. It is the only Hoodie with the Purge trait in the entire collection. Not a branded or top ranked 1/1 but one of the hidden 1/1s that permeate the collection. I absolutely love it!
What are your favorite non-web3 interests/ hobbies?
I’d have to go with photography and baseball. Two things I’ve loved since childhood.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Just to say thank you and that hopefully this interview and your broader work can help to bring more people and ideas into the Rug Radio DAO.
A DAO is only as healthy as the people within it and their level of engagement so we are always keeping our Rug DAO doors open to anyone who wants to join and help build the future of decentralized media – the kind built by the people, for the people.
Thank you Moonsafari for contributing your time and passion to help build the Rug Radio ecosystem! And if you have a chance, check out some of the extremely talented artists that Moonsafari supports and champions - including VansCmkro.NFT, @nesaart1705, and LifeWithArt!