An early version of Mickey Mouse is no longer Disney, it will be a top NFT on OpenSea.

The former Walt Disney Company mascot Mickey Mouse has become the No. 1 trending token (NFT) since its debut in the public domain on the OpenSea marketplace.

On January 1, the version of Mickey featured in the 1928 short film “Steamboat Willie” was released to the public after the copyright expired. Steamboat Willie is the first officially released appearance of Mickey Mouse. Nearly a century later, Disney's version of the character lost its claim because US law allows copyright to last only 95 years.

Following the copyright expiration, three sets of NFTs corresponding to the old mascot took three positions on OpenSea's 24-hour trending chart. An NFT collection titled “Steamboat Willie Public Domain 2024” reached the number one spot after a transaction volume of around $1.2 million. Another set called “Steamboat Willie” took the number two spot on the list while “Steamboat Willie's Riverboat” took the third highest spot.

In addition to the trending list, the Steamboat Willie Public Domain 2024 collection took the top six spots on OpenSea's 24-hour top charts, joining popular collections such as Bored Up Yacht Club (BAYC) and Pudgy Penguins. Steamboat Willie's collection came in eighth on the same list.

While the copyright has expired for this popular version of Mickey, Disney has reminded the public that modern versions of Mickey remain untouched by the expiration date of Steamboat Willie.

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In a statement to CNN, a Disney spokesperson said the company “continues to protect” the rights to modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works subject to copyright. “We work to protect against consumer confusion caused by unauthorized use of Mickey and our other popular characters.”

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