Known as the Family Computer or Famicom in Japan, the Nintendo Entertainment System was first released in the United States 1985. The console marked a major leap forward for Nintendo and would go on to become one of the most popular video game consoles of all time. Boasting an impressive library of now iconic titles, the NES remains a revered platform in retro game collecting, with some NES games selling for incredible prices.
Video game collectors were astonished to hear news of a recent estate sale in Dallas, Texas, in which a treasure trove of fully sealed NES games were discovered and sold at auction online for ridiculously high prices. Included in the sale was an unopened first production copy of Castlevania, which sold for $90,100, and a factory-sealed 1987 copy of Kid Icarus, which sold for $81,988. Sealed copies of Legend of Hero Tonma, Trojan, and Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest also sold for several thousand dollars, along with an unopened hangtab printing of BurgerTime, which brought in $11,377. While none of the items came close to the astonishing $2 million Mario game auction from 2021, collectors were still surprised to see so many mint-condition titles available, with many raising eyebrows at the sale prices.
So there was a minor happening in the collecting world over the last couple of weeks -- seems like a couple people hit the jackpot at an estate sale in the Dallas area and came away with some unbelievable sealed games that sold for massive prices. pic.twitter.com/kMoLhCzYCB
— Chris Kohler says PLAY LLAMASOFT! (@kobunheat) April 7, 2024
As with other vintage artifacts of pop culture, the value of retro video games is largely influenced by availability and consumer interest. Factors such as number of printings, quality grading, and success upon initial release can all contribute to higher selling prices of retro games. Rare Nintendo games with high value often dominate among collecting circles, largely due to their age, limited availability in modern markets, and decades-old popularity with fans. Titles such as Nintendo World Championship and Nintendo Campus Challenge 1991 are considered by many to be the rarest of retro games worthy of collecting. However, neither of these titles have ever sold for the prices seen in the Dallas NES auction, leading many to wonder if retro game collecting is becoming more expensive, not merely for the rarity of games, but for the fan hype that subsequently drives up costs at auction.
Collectors continue to debate the true value of retro games, with subjective nostalgia and objective rarity often coming to a head when the bidding starts. Whether the unbelievable sale price of old-school NES games is reasonably justified or simply sensationalized continues to be a key topic of discussion among collecting circles, with many wondering just how high prices will soar.
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Source: https://gamerant.com/unopened-nes-games-sell-high-prices/
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