A few years ago, a pop culture store owner in Wisconsin shared news with Jason Ganos, an avid Nintendo game collector, about a box of Super Mario cartridges that had been in storage for years. This revelation intrigued Ganos immediately.
The box contained an ultrarare collection of 97 pristine copies of Super Mario Brothers Duck Hunt, a popular Nintendo game from 1988. Ganos found that these cartridges were not just another variant but also represented the latest known production date of the game.
Most of these cartridges will be available for sale starting Friday in an online auction, which will conclude on September 9. Ganos expressed his disbelief over the discovery, emphasizing its serendipitous nature. Ganos, who runs Nintendo Wire, a news service dedicated to Nintendo announcements and nostalgia, couldn’t estimate the value of the games.
Kevin Braun, the owner of One Stop Wonders in Waukesha, outside Milwaukee, had initially sought Ganos’ assistance in selling various items, including common Nintendo games and Pokémon cards. Braun had acquired the box of Mario cartridges from a customer who believed they were not valuable. These Super Mario Brothers Duck Hunt cartridges were manufactured in 1993, even though the bundle had been discontinued in 1991. Braun and Ganos speculate they might have been warranty replacements or part of an unfulfilled retailer package.
Recognizing the potential significance, Ganos flew to California with the 97 cartridges, experiencing anxiety as he navigated TSA with such unusual luggage. Upon meeting video game experts, the cartridges were verified and graded. Remarkably, five out of the 97 received a perfect 10 score from Professional Sports Authenticator video games.
Ganos believes the perfect scores hold historical significance, given the nostalgia they carry and the rarity of achieving a perfect 10 with NES cartridges. In the collector’s market, ultrarare video game cartridges, especially those with unique production backgrounds, can fetch substantial prices.
Three of the flawlessly scored cartridges will be auctioned at Golden Pop’s Culture Auction starting Friday, while Ganos and Braun plan to keep a few for themselves. Although the games are playable, Ganos hopes they remain in mint condition.
Following the current auction, Braun and Ganos have plans for a charity auction. This discovery holds special significance for Ganos, as Super Mario Brothers Duck Hunt was the first video game he played and an integral part of his childhood.