Creators

NFT reveal mechanics

Quick answer

A reveal swaps the placeholder metadata every token shares at mint for each token's final metadata. On Elevate the creator triggers it, and can then freeze metadata so it can never change again.

A hidden mint keeps the artwork secret until minting is done, which prevents people from cherry-picking rare tokens during the mint. The contract supports it natively.

Who this is for

Creators planning a hidden mint, and collectors wondering why their token shows a placeholder.

How it works

  1. Mint: every token points at the unrevealed URI
  2. Creator uploads final metadata
  3. Creator calls reveal: base URI switches
  4. Optional: creator freezes metadata permanently
  • Before reveal, tokenURI returns the same placeholder for every token.
  • At reveal, the owner sets the final base URI and tokens resolve to their individual metadata.
  • Freezing disables any further change to the base URI; it cannot be undone.

For collectors

If your token shows a placeholder image, the collection has not revealed yet. Rarity and traits are computed after reveal, once Elevate indexes the final metadata.

Recommendations for creators

  • Host final metadata on durable storage before you reveal.
  • Announce the reveal time in UTC on your official channels.
  • Freeze once you are certain the metadata is final; collectors value the guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

Can a creator un-reveal or change art after reveal?
Until metadata is frozen, the owner can update the base URI. After a freeze, no further changes are possible.
Does reveal cost collectors anything?
No. Reveal is a single owner transaction; token holders do nothing.

Written and maintained by the Elevate team. Last updated . Corrections: reach the team on the official Discord.

Related

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