An unopened copy of the 1985 Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) sold for a record-breaking $2 million in August 2021. This sale, facilitated through the collectibles platform Rally, set a new benchmark for the most expensive video game ever sold at the time (The Verge).
The game was graded Wata 9.8 A++, indicating it was in pristine, factory-sealed condition. Its status as a first-print copy with a hangtab seal—a feature from the early production run before Nintendo began bundling the game with consoles—contributed to its exceptional value (Hypebeast).
This sale was part of a broader surge in the value of vintage video games, with several records being set in quick succession. For instance, a sealed copy of Super Mario 64 sold for $1.56 million just a month earlier (ABC).
The buyer of the $2 million Super Mario Bros. copy remains anonymous. The transaction was notable not only for its record price but also for the unique investment model employed, where individuals could purchase shares in the collectible through Rally's platform (The Verge).
This sale has since been surpassed by other high-value video game transactions, but it remains a significant milestone in the history of video game collecting.