How a Proof of Sats Card Is Made
Shaped by code and anchored in Bitcoin, Proof of Sats cards sit at the intersection of physical collecting, generative art, and on-chain proof.
Discover the making of a Proof of Sats card.
Security Through Isolation (Air-Gap)
- Dedicated hardware: We use a dedicated workstation whose Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules have been physically removed.
- Zero connectivity: The computer has never been, and will never be, connected to the Internet.
- Wired printing: Data is sent to the printer through a direct USB connection.
A Unique Artwork (SHA-256)
Each card is unique, both visually and mathematically.
For every satoshi, we use the SHA-256 hashing algorithm — at the technological core of Bitcoin — to transform its serial number into a complex geometric pattern.
Verifiable Data
The data associated with your Proof of Sats card is public and can be verified at any time on the Bitcoin blockchain.
The 10 Steps of the Proof of Sats Protocol
To ensure the integrity of every Proof of Sats card, we follow a rigorous production protocol.
1. Address and Private Key Generation (Air-Gapped)
On an isolated workstation with no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, we generate the Bitcoin addresses and their corresponding private keys. The keys are created independently from one another, with no master seed shared across the collection.
A CSV file contains the public addresses and can enter the connected production workflow, while a PDF contains the private keys intended for secure printing and remains within the offline environment.
2. Private Key Printing
The private key for each card, in WIF and QR code form, is printed directly from the isolated workstation using a printer with no Wi-Fi and no persistent memory, through a USB connection.
The digital copy of the keys is permanently destroyed immediately after printing.
3. Satoshi Identification and Documentation
The CSV file containing the addresses generated in Step 1 is enriched with the public data associated with each satoshi: serial number, block, mining date, rarity characteristics, and more.
4. Loading the Satoshis On-Chain
Each satoshi is then sent to the address assigned to it during the previous step. A dedicated UTXO for the card is recorded on the Bitcoin blockchain.
From this point onward, the UTXO associated with the card exists on-chain and becomes publicly verifiable.
5. Guilloché Pattern Generation
The satoshi number is processed using SHA-256.
The resulting hash is used by our generative design software to determine the parameters of the guilloché pattern.
Each satoshi therefore generates its own visual signature.
6. Card Composition
We create the card by combining the guilloché pattern, the satoshi’s public data, and the UTXO QR code.
At this stage, the print-ready file contains no private key.
7. High-Definition Printing
The cards are printed on a premium substrate, without the private key.
Each print is then individually inspected before assembly.
8. Private Key Integration and Sealing
The private key is physically integrated into the card.
We immediately apply the security seal. Any attempt to open or remove it leaves a visible and irreversible mark.
An intact seal therefore provides physical evidence that the private key has not been exposed since the card was assembled.
9. Authentication Label
We create the authentication label, which combines several verification features, including a UV-reactive security seal and a QR code linking to the card’s dedicated verification page.
Cards can also be searched directly at verify.raresatscards.com using the satoshi number.
Physical verification therefore complements on-chain verification.
10. Crystal Encapsulation
The completed card is inserted into a rigid, transparent, UV-resistant slab.
The enclosure is sealed through UV-light polymerization, preventing it from being opened without damaging the holder.
Your Proof of Sats card is now complete and ready to stand the test of time.
A unique physical collectible with independently verifiable Bitcoin provenance.
