The Legend of Zelda breaks the world record for the most expensive gaming vehicle ever

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A sealed cartridge from The Legend of Zelda sold Friday for $870,000, making it the highest-priced video game ever sold at auction. The sale broke the previous record, which was held by selling a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. which amounted to $660,000 in April. Both toys are sold by Heritage Auctions, and the price on each includes a 20% buyer fee.

The deal dwarfs previous sales of The Legend of Zelda made by the auction site. Prior to that, another high-end game cartridge sold for $50,400 in September of 2020, making that sale 17 times the price of the previous one.

What is the reason for the exorbitant increase in prices? Well, this one is factory sealed and rated 9.0 A stamped by Wata (with Ten being the highest possible rating). But regardless of its condition, a lot of its value comes down to this: It’s the only copy from one of the first productions the auction site has had the chance to display, and as the listing says, it should probably display for many years.

Photo: Heritage Auctions Image: Heritage Auctions

“It is widely believed that the version sold on Friday is one of two sealed NES TM models rated by Wata,” a statement said. The cartridge is a rare version of The Legend of Zelda that was produced for only a few months in late 1987 before being replaced by another. The auction description said, “This copy is essentially the oldest sealed copy one could realistically hope to obtain.”

This, combined with the overwhelming fan interest and the cultural significance of the The Legend of Zelda series in general, made it a highly desirable item. You can read a full description of the auction here:

The Legend of Zelda – Wata 9.0 A Sealed [No Rev-A, Round SOQ, Early Production], NES Nintendo 1987 USA. Really, the term “cup” only starts to scratch the surface of this game’s description. Of all the games we’ve featured at our auctions, this sealed early version of the first game in the groundbreaking Legend of Zelda series is undoubtedly an apotheosis of rarity, cultural significance, and central grouping. A proverbial trilogy about the perfection of the whole that only one will have the honor of summoning his king.

Although it’s a hard truth, it’s a fact nonetheless – none of the versions we’ve made of this title previously could attempt to hold a candle to this title due to its extremely rare variant carrying early production status. This is absolutely indisputable. This is the only copy from one of the very first productions we’ve had the chance to present, and we’ll probably have the chance to deliver for many years to come. Given that this variant was only in production for a few months in late 1987 before it was eventually replaced by the “Rev-A” variant in early 1988, this statement probably comes as no surprise to collectors. There is only one variant preceding the “NES R” variant shown and that is the “NES TM” variant, the first true production run. However, it is also widely believed that there is only one “NES TM” stamped example, and there is no telling whether or not this version will ever come to market. Essentially, this copy is the oldest sealed copy one can realistically hope to obtain.

So, if you happen to be the lucky one with $870K in surplus, congratulations, you just got a very cute and rare Zelda just don’t unlock it!

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