For many collectors, their ultimate goal is to amass the best items of a specific genre or type, whether that be trading cards, video games, or action figures. However, for anyone with an interest in video games, a recent Heritage Auction threw up a unique piece of Super Marioartwork that would become the holy grail of any collection at a cost of $27,500.
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Mario video game cartridges have become some of the most valuable vintage video game cartridges out there for collectors, selling for millions of dollars when pristine examples from the very first wave off the Nintendo production line go under the hammer at various points throughout the year. In Heritage’s most recent game auction, an unexpected and unique Mario item attracted a lot of attention that did not come in an immaculately preserved box with an AFA grading. Instead, it was a simple signed 10.75″ x 9.5″ pencil sketch of the intrepid plumber created by the man who was responsible for bringing Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda and many other classic game characters to life, Shigeru Miyamoto.
When it comes to the world’s most influential video game designers, there are few who have achieved the success of Miyamoto. As a video game designer, his titles have sold in excess of one billion copies and he progressed to become a renowned producer, filmmaker, and one of Nintendo’s top executives since 2002. The chance to own a sketch of what is arguably his most important character, drawn by the man himself, is one that comes up very rarely, which is why this small scrap of paper with some notable foxing was able to command more at auction than even some 40 year old well-preserved video game cartridgesthat helped to create. At $27,500, this piece did not come cheap, but in shelling out a sizable amount, someone has just bought themselves a valuable investment that will no doubt sell for an even higher amount the next time it appears at auction.
Miyamoto Is One of the Greatest Video Game Designers of All Time
When video games really started becoming more than just a past generation’s science fiction, initial games were simple and almost practical in their appearance. Games like Tetris and Pong led the way in showcasing the abilities of computers as more than just an item make for work. As has been seen in recent years with the advancement of AI at a lightning pace, whenever some new technology comes around there is a huge rush to see exactly how far it can be pushed and what more it can achieve. In 1977, just as companies were were on the cusp of arcade video games like Space Invaders, Miyamoto was hired by Nintendo to join their design team. Although the creator originally had hoped for a career in manga art, designing toys and subsequently games was clearly the route the his path was meant to take.
After being the driving force behind the conception of Donkey Kong, Miyamoto was quickly assigned other projects, including Donkey Kong Jr., Mario Bros., Devil World, Kung-Fu Master, and The Legend of Zelda, cementing him as one of the biggest icons of the gaming world. After decades guiding Mario and Zelda through many different Nintendo consoles, Miyamoto began to take a more behind the scenes approach to Nintendo’s success, and as well as passing through several executive roles with the company, he also produced 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movieand was heavily involved in the development of Super Nintendo World at numerous Universal Studios sites in Asia and North America. Heritage’s auction sale has now given someone the chance to hold in their hand a small piece of the man who helped turn Nintendo into the gaming behemoth it is today, and that is worth $27,500 of any collector’s money.
What is your favorite Miyamoto video game? Let us know in the comments.
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