Sealed Super Mario Bros. cartridge sells for $3M, record

A sealed copy of the iconic 1985 video game Super Mario Bros. sold for a record $3 million at auction on June 12, establishing a new high-water mark for the collectibles market. The sale, conducted by Heritage Auctions, far surpassed the previous record of $2 million set for a video game in 2021.

The specific cartridge’s exceptional value stems from its rarity and pristine condition. It is a Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) graded 9.6 A copy, the highest score awarded to this particular variant. Crucially, it is sealed with an intact gloss sticker, a feature that identifies it as part of the game’s second production run from early 1986. This sticker was discontinued shortly after in favor of standardized shrink-wrap. Heritage Auctions stated this is the earliest confirmed sealed example from that run and is one of only three known sealed copies of this variant to exist, with the other two holding lower grades.

The game’s history added to its appeal. It was reportedly discovered only months ago inside an unopened NES Control Deck console bundle, meaning it had remained untouched for nearly four decades. The auction lot also included that launch-edition NES console, though...