A rare, sealed copy of Nintendo’s original ‘The Legend of Zelda’ video game is up for auction and will sell for more than a princely sum when the auction ends later this month.
Dallas-based Heritage Auctions is auctioning off the never-before-opened game, which has a current bid of $110,000 as of the time of this article.
It has a grade of 9.0 from Wata Games, a game grading company and is placed inside a plastic container.
This particular version is a No Rev-A Round SOQ model, which was produced in late 1987, before being replaced by the Rev-A variant in 1988.
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Wata notes that early Nintendo production games had cartridges made with five screws, but were later switched to a new three-screw design.
‘To denote it, Nintendo decided it was necessary to change the box, as well as the cart label and other pieces contained with the game,’ marking it with a Rev-A change, Wata wrote in a statement on its website.
Dallas-based Heritage Auctions is auctioning off the never-before-opened video game, which has a current bid of $110,000 as of the time of this article.
It is a No Rev-A Round SOQ model, which was produced in late 1987, before being replaced by the Rev-A variant in 1988.
Round SOQ signifies that it had a round seal of quality (SOQ), compared to an oval seal, for later games.
According to a press release from Heritage, it is believed that this is ‘the earliest seal copy anyone can realistically hope to obtain.’
”The Legend of Zelda’ marks the beginning of one of the most important sagas in gaming; its historical significance can’t be understated,’ Heritage Auctions Video Games Director Valarie McLeckie said in a statement.
‘This is the only copy from this production run we’ve ever offered in sealed condition, and may very well be the only one we ever offer in this elite level of preservation for many years.
‘Its rarity is superior to that of any sealed game we’ve offered to date, it is a true collector’s piece,’ McLeckie added.
Several other high-priced video games are included in the auction, which will be held July 9-10.
A sealed copy of Super Mario 64, the first 3D Mario game is rated Wata 9.8 and has a current bid of $100,000.
A sealed copy of Super Mario 64, the first 3D Mario game is rated Wata 9.8 and has a current bid of $100,000
A sealed copy of the original 1985 Super Mario Bros. game, rated Wata 9 No Rev-A, has a current bid of $85,000
A sealed copy of the original 1985 Super Mario Bros. game, rated Wata 9 No Rev-A, has a current bid of $85,000, while another copy of the game, rated Wata 9.6, Oval SOQ R, is currently selling for $55,000.
In November 2020, a sealed copy of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. 3 became the most expensive video game ever sold, selling for $156,000 at auction.
Several months prior, in July 2020, Heritage sold another version of Super Mario Bros. 3, graded Wata 9.0 A, for $38,400.