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[IbizaPocholo]

This Sealed Copy Of Super Mario Bros. Just Sold For $114,000

That's a new world record

www.nintendolife.com

Remember when a super rare sticker sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. on NES sold for $100,150 USD last February? Well, another copy of the exact same game (in a similar condition) has now broken this record - going for the sum of $114,000 USD (this roughly equates to £90,000). That makes this particular copy the most expensive video game ever sold.

Why exactly did this US retail version go for more, you ask? Apart from its sealed state and 9.4 out of 10 grade, it's all to do with the cardboard hangtabs. Heritage Auctions explains the appeal and history of these variants underneath the listing:

What's the deal with cardboard hangtabs? one may, understandably, wonder.
Cardboard hangtabs were originally used on the US test market copies of black box games, back before plastic was used to seal each game. As Nintendo began to further establish their company in the US, their packaging was updated almost continuously. Strangely, the addition of the plastic wrap came before the box cutting die was altered to remove the cardboard hangtab. This rendered the functionality of the cardboard hangtab completely useless, since it was under the plastic seal.

There are four sub-variants of the plastic sealed cardboard hangtab box (this particular copy of Super Mario Bros. being the "3 Code" variant) that were produced within the span of one year. Each sub-variant of the cardboard hangtab black box, produced within that timeframe, had a production period of just a few months; a drop in the bucket compared to the title's overall production run.
In short, a cardboard hangtab copy of any early Nintendo Entertainment System game brings a certain air of "vintage" unrivaled by its successors.

 

[brap]

Definitely a deal.

 

[Kittehkraken]

 

[Esca]

Heard gamestop offered $6.35

 

[PSYGN]

Heard gamestop offered $6.35

Not bad all considering.

 

[BlakeofT]

Damn scalpers.

 

[HF2014]

Pfffff SMB3 say hello

https://www.theverge.com/2020/11/23...ecord-breaking-auction-price-condition-sealed

 

[hybrid_birth]

Watch the seller blow all his money on fortnite microtransactions.

 

[Portugeezer]

They could have bought a couple of PS5's with that.

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

I remember having a copy of this game as a kid, but then Lionel Richie faked a green card and stole it from me.

 

[Fahdis]

My sealed asshole is twice the price.

 

[Lionel Richie]

I remember having a copy of this game as a kid, but then Lionel Richie faked a green card and stole it from me.

BUILD A WALL AND CRIME WILL FALL!

 

[j0hnnix]

I'll wait for the price drop.

 

[Trimesh]

This has "publicity stunt" written all over it - the last "record breaking sale" was incredibly dodgy once you started looking into it, because the auctioneers, the grading company and both the buyer and sellers were all related entities. I would not be in the least surprised if this turns out to be more of the same.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

Sealed Super Mario Bros. shatters record with $660,000 auction sale

Vintage 1986 box sat unnoticed in a desk drawer for 35 years.

arstechnica.com

 

[Touch fuzZy. get BizZay]

A little steep but it is most def a great game. Enjoy!

 

[Reality Czar]

Where is that “Is there still any value in physical games?” thread?

 

[Mikey Jr.]

It has some cardboard hangtab, thusly it's worth 4 million dollars.

Stupid.

Do people buy this garbage and expect people to be impressed with it?
"Wow, cardboard.........cool."

 

[German Hops]

My sealed asshole is twice the price.

 

[M1chl]

Cringe, some collectors are really braindead, especially with that "seal", I mean fucking piece of plastic wrap is really worth that much?

 

[German Hops]

I mean fucking piece of plastic wrap is really worth that much?

They consider it to be as valuable as a virginal cherry.

 

[SebastianShaw]

Finally my Brink sealed copy will see some use... one day right?

 

[Badlucktroll]

Was this the same cartridge that was on pawn stars?

Dude asked for $1,000,000

 

[UnNamed]

I really don't understand why a SMB copy can be sold for 600k dollars and a one of a kind Nintendo Play Station for just 300k.

 

[German Hops]

a one of a kind Nintendo Play Station for just 300k.

That makes no sense. Sony makes the PlayStation.

 

[FreedomOfSpeech]

I'm reminded of this DF retro vid where John Linneman rips open a sealed game.



NO BUTS! *rips open*

 

[TheDreadLord]

This is just dumb.

 

[Birdo]

Starving kids could have eaten that cartridge.

 

[22•22]

I really don't understand why a SMB copy can be sold for 600k dollars and a one of a kind Nintendo Play Station for just 300k.

Never underestimate the value of a well kept mustache

 

[Trimesh]

That makes no sense. Sony makes the PlayStation.

They are talking about this device:

Yes, it was made by Sony - but it was based on SNES/SFC hardware with a CD-ROM drive attached. A small number of prototypes (maybe 50) were made, but it never made it into production and so far only one has been located.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Collectors are coming out today to support this sale.