Rare video game collecting is a competitive and expensive hobby. However, a rare copy of the North American version of Super Mario Bros. for the NES just upped the stakes in the world of video game auctions by selling for a record-breaking $114,000.
Selling on Heritage Auctions, the sealed copy was valued at an astounding Wata 9.4 rating for condition, meaning its condition is good as new. Most importantly, this particular copy has cardboard hangtabs. As explained by the game’s auction page:
“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.”
The buyer is currently anonymous, though we can hope the game finds a good home in a big collection. That sure is a lot of money to pay, considering you can play it for free with your Switch Online subscription! I tell ya folks, is this thing on?
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Written by Bryan Finch
A video editor by trade, Bryan Finch is a lifetime Nintendo fan, and he loves writing about his passions. He also spends too much time playing and watching fighting games. Bryan enjoys movies, comics, cooking with his wife, and the idea of Elite Beat Agents 2.
