<blockquote>
<p><strong>Is there an easy way to make sure a UTXO doesn't have rare sats/inscriptions/anything else</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>No.</p>
<p>There isn't an <em>easy</em> way, because there is no central coordination of these forms of graffiti and externally assigned meanings. Nor can there be.</p>
<p>This is especially true when you include &quot;everything else&quot;</p>
<p>All these things are outside the use cases provided for by the creator of bitcoin. They are external, just as the US treasury's department of engraving and printing don't keep track of doodles on $1 banknotes and don't keep track of trade in $1 banknotes with &quot;lucky&quot; serial numbers</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-27T12:13:28.027Z
2024-07-27T12:13:28.027Z
RedGrittyBrick
<blockquote>
<p>How do I pick UTXOs, which are safe to spend? Is there an easy way to make sure a UTXO doesn't have rare sats/inscriptions/anything else before spending it?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Those UTXOs are still &quot;safe&quot; to spend if they comply with Bitcoin consensus rules. However, if you want to avoid spending UTXOs that adhere to the rules of an external metaprotocol (e.g., ordinals) outside Bitcoin's consensus rules, you need to run the software of that metaprotocol or use a wallet that is aware of its rules.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-27T13:33:52.020Z
thanks, will try to find APIs for the specific "metaprotocols" that are popular then
Maxgmer
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-27T13:22:29.193Z
2024-07-27T13:22:29.193Z
Arminsdev
<p>When we do a transaction, we pick UTXOs we want to spend. Sounds simple, just pick UTXOs with total value &gt;= the amount you want to spend.</p>
<p>But then inscriptions, rare sats etc. come into play. Now, some UTXOs are not safe to spend.</p>
<p>How do I pick UTXOs, which are safe to spend? Is there an easy way to make sure a UTXO doesn't have rare sats/inscriptions/anything else before spending it?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-27T15:20:17.050Z
Take a look at [Murch's post on coin selection](https://murch.one/posts/waste-metric/).  It's not specifically about inscriptions etc, but very worthwhile nonetheless.
Hannah Vernon
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-07-27T16:06:57.810Z
@HannahVernon thanks! Will check this
Maxgmer
<transactions><utxo><ordinals><coin-selection><utxo-management>
How do I know which UTXOs are safe to spend?
Maxgmer
# How do I know which UTXOs are safe to spend?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-07-26)

When we do a transaction, we pick UTXOs we want to spend. Sounds simple, just pick UTXOs with total value >= the amount you want to spend.

But then inscriptions, rare sats etc. come into play. Now, some UTXOs are not safe to spend.

How do I pick UTXOs, which are safe to spend? Is there an easy way to make sure a UTXO doesn't have rare sats/inscriptions/anything else before spending it?

**Tags:** transactions, utxo, ordinals, coin-selection, utxo-management

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Take a look at [Murch's post on coin selection](https://murch.one/posts/waste-metric/).  It's not specifically about inscriptions etc, but very worthwhile nonetheless.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 thanks! Will check this  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-07-27. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

> How do I pick UTXOs, which are safe to spend? Is there an easy way to make sure a UTXO doesn't have rare sats/inscriptions/anything else before spending it?

Those UTXOs are still "safe" to spend if they comply with Bitcoin consensus rules. However, if you want to avoid spending UTXOs that adhere to the rules of an external metaprotocol (e.g., ordinals) outside Bitcoin's consensus rules, you need to run the software of that metaprotocol or use a wallet that is aware of its rules.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: thanks, will try to find APIs for the specific "metaprotocols" that are popular then  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-07-27. Score: 4

> **Is there an easy way to make sure a UTXO doesn't have rare sats/inscriptions/anything else**

No.

There isn't an *easy* way, because there is no central coordination of these forms of graffiti and externally assigned meanings. Nor can there be.

This is especially true when you include "everything else"

All these things are outside the use cases provided for by the creator of bitcoin. They are external, just as the US treasury's department of engraving and printing don't keep track of doodles on $1 banknotes and don't keep track of trade in $1 banknotes with "lucky" serial numbers


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