When I wrote about a NES and some old games being sold by a basement clearing mum, and fetching an incredible $13,105 on eBay, you know I kind of thought that was the end of it as far as recession-busting auctions of dusty game carts goes. But oh boy was I wrong. The reason that the games bundle featured in that original story sold for such a large amount was down to the inclusion of one ultra-rare NES title: Stadium Events.
As we mentioned at the time, the game is so rare that the box alone is valued at $10,000. It's officially one of the world's top 20 rarest video games, and expert collectors reckon there are only 10 complete and boxed copies that exist today. So imagine the surprise when, just weeks after that auction, another turns up on eBay. Not just any copy, oh no, but a totally mint and unopened one still in it's original shrink wrap and still carrying the original $29.99 price tag.
The seller reckons that there are only two 'factory sealed' examples of the game left, and this is the rarest of all being a recalled NTSC version rather than the PAL ones that appear from time to time. "This collector’s item will only increase in value over time. Probably one of the smartest investments for a collector. Bought at Richmond Gordmans in Overland Park, Kansas over two decades ago" the seller enthused.
There's no doubting that the seller made a smart investment, buying this for $29.99 some 23 years ago, but whether the same can be said of the buyer who ended up paying an incredible $41,300 is another thing altogether. It will need to appreciate a whole heck and then some to make a return on that investment I reckon.
Oh and the reason it was still factory sealed? The seller bought it without realising it required a special fitness mat peripheral, and never quite got around to returning it to the shop!
