In 1990 , picture biz giantNintendoembarked on a multi - city promotional event dub the Nintendo World Championships . player gathered and vie in timed trials for a multifariousness of games likeSuper Mario Bros. ,Rad Racer , andTetris . The company used a special biz cartridge ( or , in Nintendo ’s idiom , game pak ) for the competition with a built - in dip switch for capping gaming time . An estimated 350 were produced , with just 26 presented in gold rather than the stock grey-haired plastic . And now one of those atomic number 79 editions is up for auction .
Goldin Auctions based out of New Jersey isofferingone of the atomic number 79 cartridge in what they draw as one of the “ rarest of offerings in the hobby . ” Graded by third - political party CGC at 4.0 ( out of a possible 10 ) , it ’s missing the label . ( It ’s also missing a loge , though none of the cartridges had one to begin with . ) That may not matter much to collectors , however : Of the 350 gray cartridges made , only 92 have been answer for for . And of the 26 gold variant , the collectable market has identified just 13 still in existence .
The reason for the oddment ? The cartridges were n’t really meant to be preserved . They were intended for the competitions only ; even the gum used to hold the label to the face was n’t meant to last , hence the intellect so many are lose .
The gold version — standardized in color to theLegend of Zeldacartridgessold three years earlier — was created as a peculiar game show for reader ofNintendo Power , the companionship ’s in - house fan magazine . According to Goldin , the cartridge was grant to Patrick King of Cheyenne , Wyoming , who apparently treasure it enough to hang on to it .
In - person contestants did n’t get the gold pak , but winners were still rewarded . Each of the winner in the three years brackets ( under 11 , 12 to 17 , and over 18)received$10,000 in nest egg bonds and a gold Mario trophy , among other dirty money .
How much Goldin can clear for the game is up in the tune . One of the more late sale of the gray competitor game was aHeritageauction in July 2021 . Graded 8.0 out of 10 byWATAand with the label still supplement , it brought in $ 180,000 . In 2014 , a gold editionnetted$100,000 on eBay . The all - clock time record for any picture game sale was dress in 2021 , when an unopened copy ofSuper Mario Bros.soldfor $ 2 million .
As of this penning , bid for the gold contest pak is at $ 77,000 . The auction sale runs through August 17 .
