Super-rare NES game looks set to exceed $100K in eBay auction

by Mark Tyson on 12 January 2015, 12:05

Tags: Nintendo (TYO:7974), eBay

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qacnqz

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An officially released copy of the super-rare recalled Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) game, Stadium Events, is close to exceeding $100K in bids on eBay. The copy being listed for auction is in its original packaging and factory sealed. The game is universally accepted to be the rarest licensed NES title, add in its unopened condition and you get some way to explaining the astonishing price tag.

Stadium Events was originally an early test title released in 1987 by Bandai for its Family Fun Fitness Control Mat, a technology now found in Dance Dance Revolution floor pads. However, Nintendo recalled all copies from shelves almost immediately after it was released in the US, subsequent to licensing the game and rebranding it to make it work with their own running pad known as the Power Pad. An estimate of no more than 2,000 copies were published before the change occurred and only 200 of those made it onto store shelves. It is not known how many were actually sold to players and made it into circulation.

There are still three days remaining in this auction, and the seller holds one of only two copies that are known to exist, still sealed in the original packaging. He claims to have previously worked at Nintendo and came into possession of the game in the '90s.

"This listing is for a complete, excellent+/near mint, sealed copy of the game and the one of few to ever be sent to the Video Game Authority in Roswell, Georgia for official grading, verification and authentication," the seller stated on the auction page. "Once the game arrived safely, the professionals at VGA gently cleaned the item, verified it, graded it and sealed it in a professional quality acrylic case where it will remain for the rest of its life."

Bidding on the game originally began at $5000. The auction is due to conclude in 3d 15h and at the time of writing, the listing has had 81 bids with the highest bid currently sitting at $99,850. The seller has not specified shipping rates to the UK, shipping within the US by USPS Priority Mail Express will add about $30 to the price.



HEXUS Forums :: 6 Comments

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The bids may exceed it, but it probably won't result in an actual payment.
You think? There are some seriously monied hard core collectors out there. If it's worth 100k now what will it be worth in a year? It'll likely be a good investment too.
The guy who has the other one just needs to buy this and burn it, then he's minted.
Bluecube
You think? There are some seriously monied hard core collectors out there. If it's worth 100k now what will it be worth in a year? It'll likely be a good investment too.

That's the point though - can it be said to be worth that if nobody actually pays it? I read somewhere that the last rare game that was supposedly sold for about $100k on eBay didn't get paid for, and it was then sold instead for around the original starting point of $5k.

Some people like to create accounts and place bids with no intention of paying because of the media coverage I guess. The worst that can happen is probably a strike for non-payment, which wouldn't really affect them if they set up the account for that purpose anyway.
eBay is no good for this sort of thing due to nonpayments. This should be sold in a proper auction house; if it's worth anywhere near that sort of money those who it appeals to will still become involved (perhaps by proxy due to worldwide interest) but without the knuckle draggers.