Five years ago, a pristine copy of the original Super Mario Bros. sold for $660,000, setting a new record for video game auctions. However, that record was quickly surpassed just months later when Super Mario 64 fetched $1.56 million. Then, another Super Mario Bros. copy sold for $2 million, a record that lasted for five years – until today. The market for rare, retro games (along with collectibles like Pokémon cards, comics, and vintage toys) is booming, and even used games in good condition – especially those still sealed in their original packaging – can be incredibly valuable.
That’s why the recent sale of a video game for a record-breaking price is so noteworthy. We had predicted this particular copy of Super Mario Bros. might sell for over $1 million – a significant amount, even if not a record – but it actually exceeded that estimate and became the most expensive video game ever sold. This copy was in excellent condition, and it’s likely to hold the record for quite some time.
A sealed copy of the classic video game Super Mario Bros. just sold for $3 million at a Heritage auction. The game received a near-perfect grade of 9.6 A++, meaning it’s in almost flawless condition. Its high price is due to its rarity – it’s from the very limited second production run released in early 1986. According to Heritage Auctions, no sealed copies from the first production run are known to exist, and only two other copies of this second production run in similar condition have ever been documented.
This copy of Super Mario Bros. is special because it has an older style Nintendo sticker – they used these before switching to shrink wrap for game packaging. Since this earlier method left the box exposed, it’s rare to find copies from the second production run in good condition.
While small details might not bother most collectors, they’re incredibly important to serious fans and investors with deep pockets. Today, Heritage Auctions sold a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. for the NES for $575,000. Although it received a higher grade—9.8 A+—than the recent record-breaking sale, this copy was from the fourth printing and included the original packaging hangtab. It’s still highly sought after by top collectors, but it’s not as valuable as the copy from the second printing.
These games are valuable collectibles, but their enduring appeal also comes from the lasting popularity of the Mario Bros. franchise. Proof of this is The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which has become the highest-grossing film of the year, earning over $1 billion globally.
As we’ve mentioned before, the incredibly rare Super Mario Bros. game isn’t the only collectible being auctioned. A whole collection of classic video games is up for sale, so whether you’re a serious collector or just curious, there’s a lot to see!
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2026-06-13 05:10