Rare Super Mario Bros. Game Surprises Everyone with Record-Breaking Sale Price

Stories about long-lost collectibles making a comeback are almost a gaming trope at this point. However, the recent sale of a copy of Super Mario Bros. that shattered sales records is far from your typical find. This particular game was unearthed from a nearly 40-year-old box, still sealed in its original shrink wrap. The mere existence of such a pristine copy is nothing short of miraculous.

On Friday, a staggering $3 million sale was finalized for a copy of Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

“The incredible backstory — discovered just a few months ago inside a brand-new Control Deck NES console bundle, untouched for nearly four decades — makes this result even more remarkable,” noted a Consignment Director.

You can check out the box and its condition below:

Previously, the highest price for a highly graded copy of Super Mario Bros. was a $2 million private sale in 2021. Earlier that same year, another cartridge sold for $660,000, which was the highest amount ever paid for a collectible video game at the time. This new record far surpasses both, and the details explain why.

In addition to its flawless condition, the packaging contributes to the uniqueness of this multi-million-dollar copy of Super Mario Bros. It comes from the second print run of this iconic game and is the oldest known sealed copy in existence. It features a special glossy sticker from 1986 and includes a cardboard hang tab that was phased out in 1987. This version of the classic platformer boasts a PSA grade of 9.6. While not perfect, it’s the closest any Super Mario Bros. game has come to that status. Only two other sealed copies of a similar type are known to exist.

If you have some spare cash, the auction site currently allows visitors to make offers to the new owner.

In other news, a two-year-old Pokémon card known as Bubble Mew just sold for six figures, raising concerns among TCG fans.