A remarkable collection of nearly 100 rare Nintendo game cartridges has been discovered in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and is set to hit the auction block on Tuesday (August 12). These cartridges include previously unknown versions of ‘Super Mario Bros.’ and ‘Duck Hunt,’ printed in 1993—two years after the last known production run. Experts believe these games were meant to be melted down by Nintendo but were instead stored away in a box for decades.
The cartridges are in pristine condition, with some receiving perfect 10 grades from the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA). According to ABC7 Chicago, these games could fetch millions at auction. The seller claims that Nintendo initially sent the games to a metal recovery service for destruction, but they were never melted down.
Kevin Braun, owner of the retro shop OneStopWonders, discovered the cartridges in his storage room. He had purchased them years ago, believing they were standard games worth $10 to $15 each. However, when a friend and editor-in-chief of Nintendo Wire, Jason Ganos, examined the cartridges, he realized their significance. The games were confirmed to be authentic by PSA in California.
These cartridges are believed to be replacements for warranty repairs or refurbished consoles, or part of a bundle that was never released. The auction will take place at Goldin Auctions, with estimates suggesting each cartridge could sell for at least $10,000, potentially reaching five-digit figures for the perfect 10s.
