Sealed Copy of Super Mario Bros. Sells for $3 Million, Shattering Records
The record for the most expensive video game ever sold hasn't just been broken—it has been obliterated. A sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. recently sold at auction for $3 million, leapfrogging the previous record holder by a full $1 million.
Heritage Auctions, which facilitated the sale, labeled the item "the holy grail of video game collecting." The game was awarded a 9.6 grade by PSA, indicating it remains in nearly perfect condition. This sale officially eclipses the $2 million record set by a different sealed copy of the same title back in 2021.
A Rare Discovery
The history of this specific copy is as unique as its price tag. It wasn't even known to exist until a few months ago, when it was discovered inside a like-new Control Deck NES bundle. The game originates from the second production run created in 1986, a detail confirmed by a specific sticker on the packaging that was omitted from later versions. As it stands, this is the oldest known copy of the game in this condition.
While there are two other known sealed copies from that same second production run, experts consider this latest find to be the most pristine. It remains unclear how much the accompanying Control Deck NES bundle might be worth on its own, though it is likely to command a significant price at auction as well.
Mario Dominates the All-Time List
With this latest sale, Super Mario Bros. now occupies the top two spots on the list of the most expensive video games ever sold. The mustachioed mascot also claims third place, thanks to a copy of Super Mario 64 that sold for $1.56 million in 2021.
The rest of the leaderboard is dominated by other classic titles:
- The Legend of Zelda: $870,000
- Super Mario World: (Price undisclosed, but ranks behind Zelda)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time: $228,000
- Final Fantasy: $204,000
The Final Fantasy entry, which sits at seventh place, is the first non-Nintendo branded game on the list, though it was released as a Nintendo exclusive during the NES/SNES era. The recent $3 million sale continues a trend of high-value auctions for classic titles, proving that for collectors, the value of gaming history continues to climb.