As part of a broader fundraising effort, former President Donald Trump has engaged in the relatively novel sale of NFTs, non-fungible tokens, that are sort of like limited and unique pieces of digital art or trading cards.

There was a huge surge in purchases and trading of Trump's NFTs in recent days that appears to be directly attributable to former first lady Melania Trump and her release of a new batch of patriotic-themed NFTs just in time for Independence Day, according to Benzinga.

Melania's new NFTs

In just the first 24 hours following the release of the former first lady's new collection, sales of new NFTs surged by around 300 percent while the trading of previously purchased NFTs spiked by around 339 percent, according to the OpenSea site where the former president's digital trading cards are available, Benzinga noted.

That signifies a reversal of sorts for Trump in light of the fact that, following the release of his second batch of NFTs a few months ago, the overall value of his first set had declined somewhat.

Known as "The 1776 Collection," the former first lady is offering a limited batch of 500 copies each of six separate NFTs priced at $50 apiece that feature different American iconography and patriotic music.

The 1776 Collection

Six Limited Edition Collectables
Available Exclusively at https://t.co/kAenWUwxQ1#USAmemorabilia #NFTs#The1776Collection #IndependenceDay pic.twitter.com/euYySvvRcD

— USAmemorabilia (@USAmemorabilia) June 29, 2023

That includes the Declaration of Independence; a view of the U.S. Capitol, Washington Monument, and Jefferson Memorial; Mt. Rushmore; the Liberty Bell; and two featuring the Statue of Liberty -- plus a special seventh NFT that is only available to those who purchase the other six and won't be revealed until July 4.

According to The Hill, this is actually not the former first lady's first foray into the NFT realm, as she first offered up digital art for sale in December 2021, then later offered some additional limited runs that included a Christmas collection as well as another batch that featured "iconic moments from President Trump’s administration."

Portion of proceeds will benefit kids in foster care

Fox News reported that the former first lady said that these new NFTs are intended to acknowledge and represent the "foundations of American ideals."

"The 1776 Collection of artwork draws inspiration from several iconic landmarks of our nation, which I had the privilege of visiting during the time I served as first lady," Trump said. "Each piece provides a view into our nation’s history, culture, and patriotism."

"I am proud to celebrate our great nation and remain inspired by the words contained within the Declaration of Independence," she added.

Notably, an unspecified portion of the proceeds raised from the sale of these NFTs will go to support the former first lady's Fostering the Future initiative, which seeks to provide special computer science-related scholarships and other educational opportunities for children and teens who've grown up in and are aging out of foster care.

Supportive of husband's 2024 re-election campaign

As for former President Trump's quest to return to the White House in 2024, the former first lady previously told Fox News, "My husband achieved tremendous success in his first administration, and he can lead us toward greatness and prosperity once again," and emphasized, "He has my support, and we look forward to restoring hope for the future and leading America with love and strength."

With respect to what she would do in a prospective second term, Trump said, "My focus would continue to be creating a safe and nurturing space for children to learn, grow and thrive," and added, "If additional problems arise, I will take the time to study them and understand their root causes."