Sealed copies of older video games can fetch a pretty penny. After all, very few people expected video games to one day become collector’s items, so most buyers can be forgiven for cracking open the box and playing the game inside. One potential seller on Pawn Stars thought he hit the mother lode with a sticker sealed, test-market copy of Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Given a 9.4, A++ rating from Wata Games, the game will likely fetch a high price when it does find a buyer, but host Rick Harrison balked at the seller’s $1 million asking price.
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“I think Mario hit him on the head with a pipe wrench,” Harrison said.
Still, before making a definitive call, Harrison consulted with Deniz Khan, of Wata Games, the company that graded this particular copy of Super Mario Bros. Khan offered his expertise on the subject, and whether or not Harrison would be able to eventually flip his purchase.
“As video games are starting to be viewed more as art and history, not just these relics of nostalgia, this is it,” Khan said. “This is the one that started it all. It’s got the trifecta. It’s got rarity. It’s got popularity. Everyone knows Mario. And it’s got significance to collectors. But with things like this, it’s high risk, high reward.”
Despite the game’s rarity and pristine condition, Harrison likely made the right call turning down the offer. The most expensive game ever sold was also a sticker sealed, test-market copy of Super Mario. Bros. That copy went for $100,150 at the start of the year.
Released in 1985 alongside the Nintendo Entertainment System, it isn’t a stretch to say that Super Mario Bros. redefined gaming. Released at a time when the video game industry was considered dead by the general public, Nintendo’s gambit was anything but a sure thing. The NES, however, became an overnight success for Nintendo, propelled mostly by Mario. Since then, Super Mario Bros. has proven to be an endearing part of the video game industry, spawning a video game franchise, merchandise and even an upcoming film from Illumination, making Mario one of the most recognized characters in the world.
Do you keep any of your games sealed? What’s the rarest sealed game you own? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
