EdaFace NFT Taxonomy Standard consists of five levels:

Level 1: Collection

Level: Species

Level 3: Generation

Level 4: Edition

Level 5: Variety

LEVEL 1: COLLECTION

Definition:

Collection is the highest-level classification of a group of NFTs that share a common theme, concept, purpose, identity, or creative origin.

A Collection establishes the principal family to which the NFTs belong.

Example:

Collection: EdaFace Mascots.

The EdaFace Mascots Collection may contain one or more mascot species.

Important Principle:

A Collection should have a distinctive and meaningful identity. Different NFT projects should normally have different Collections when their concepts, purposes, or identities are substantially different.

LEVEL 2: SPECIES

Definition:

Species identifies the particular type or entity represented within a Collection.

The term is especially appropriate for collections containing recurring digital entities, characters, creatures, objects, or other identifiable classes.

For collections where "Species" is not appropriate, the creator may use another suitable classification concept.

Example:

Within the Collection EdaFace Mascots, the Species may be: Eddie

Thus: EdaFace Mascots → Eddie

Important Principle

Species identifies the particular type, entity, or class of NFT within a Collection. Thus, for digital collections, it may identify a distinct recurring entity or class within the Collection.

LEVEL 3: GENERATION

Definition:

Generation identifies the chronological, developmental, technological, or production generation to which an NFT belongs.

Generation is particularly useful where a collection is expected to evolve over time.

Example: The original Eddies may belong to the Generation: Genesis

A later production may belong to another designated generation, e.g., Premium.

Important Note on the Word “Genesis”:

The term Genesis should ordinarily be reserved for the original or foundational generation of a collection.

Once a collection’s Genesis Generation has been established, later creations should not be retrospectively added to Genesis merely to increase its supply or extend its scope.

This preserves the historical significance, distinctiveness, and scarcity of the Genesis Generation.

If there is a need for additional NFTs, a different Generation, such as Premium, may instead be established. This allows the NFTs in the Genesis Generation to retain their original identity, uniqueness, and rarity.

LEVEL 4: EDITION

Definition:

Edition identifies a distinct class, design, level, style, status, or configuration within a Generation.

An Edition may differ from another Edition by appearance, characteristics, purpose, rarity, quality, status, functionality, or other defining attributes.

Example:

Within the Genesis Generation of the Eddie Species, the five Editions are:

1. Universal

2. Distinctive

3. Illustrious

4. Powerful

5. Legendary

Thus, Genesis → Universal and Genesis → Illustrious represent two different Editions within the same Generation.

Important Principle:

An Edition should have a meaningful distinction from other Editions. Edition names should not merely be different labels for substantially identical NFTs.

Edition Naming:

An Edition may be identified using letters alone, numbers alone, or a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters.

Examples include:

• Letters alone: Universal

• Numbers alone: 0002

• Letters + numbers: Unit001

• Letters + special characters: Unit#

• Numbers + special characters: 001#

• Letters + numbers + special characters: Unit001#

Special characters alone should not be used as an Edition name.

Edition names should be distinctive, consistently applied within the Collection, and sufficiently identifiable to distinguish one Edition from another.

LEVEL 5: VARIETY

Definition:

Variety identifies a specific variation within an Edition.

Varieties may differ in visual design, pose, clothing, attributes, accessories, background, animation, voice, expression, configuration, or other characteristics while remaining members of the same Edition.

Numbering of Varieties

Varieties should be represented numerically, e.g.:

01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07...

The number should identify the particular Variety within its Edition.

Example

The Genesis Eddie structure may be:

• Universal Edition → Varieties 01–03

• Distinctive Edition → Varieties 01–05

• Illustrious Edition → Varieties 01–07

• Powerful Edition → Varieties 01–03

• Legendary Edition → Varieties 01–05

Therefore, the Genesis Generation contains 23 defined Varieties across its five Editions.

Complete Taxonomic Example

Consider: 

EdaFace Mascots → Eddie → Genesis → Illustrious → 04

This means:

• Collection: EdaFace Mascots

• Species: Eddie

• Generation: Genesis

• Edition: Illustrious

• Variety: 04

The NFT may therefore have the human-readable name:

Key Principles of NFT Taxonomy

Note the following about EdaFace NFT Taxonomy:

(1). Taxonomy Specified as NFT Traits

The NFT’s Taxonomy should be clearly specified in its Traits (Properties). 

These Traits formally identify the NFT’s position within the Taxonomy and enable collectors to clearly recognize and understand its Collection, Species, Generation, Edition, and Variety, where applicable.

(2). Taxonomy Is Established at Minting

The applicable Taxonomy of an NFT should be determined and recorded at the time of minting. 

This establishes the NFT’s formal taxonomic identity from the moment it is created and ensures that its classification is clearly documented for the creator and collector.

(3). Taxonomy Should Be Consistent

Once a Collection has established its Taxonomy, the same structure, terminology, and classification principles should be applied consistently throughout the Collection.

Consistency ensures that NFTs within the same Collection can be systematically identified, organized, understood, and compared.

(4). Taxonomy versus Rarity

Rarity is an NFT attribute, not a taxonomic level.

Terms such as Common, Uncommon, Rare, Ultra Rare, Legendary, or similar designations may describe the scarcity or rarity of an NFT, but they do not replace or constitute the Taxonomy levels of Collection, Species, Generation, Edition, or Variety.

Rarity should therefore be treated as a characteristic of the NFT rather than as part of its taxonomic hierarchy.

(5). Taxonomy versus Traits

Traits are broader than Taxonomy. An NFT may contain different types of Traits, including Taxonomy Traits, descriptive Traits, and other relevant attributes.

For example, an NFT may have:

• Edition: Illustrious

• Species: Eddie

• Variety: 04

• Background: Gold

• Eyes: Blue

• Animation: Talking

In this example, Edition, Species, and Variety are Taxonomy Traits because they identify the NFT's position within the Taxonomy.

Background, Eyes, and Animation are descriptive or attribute Traits because they describe characteristics or features of the NFT rather than its taxonomic classification.

Thus, Taxonomy is specified within the NFT Traits, but not every Trait is part of the Taxonomy.