A Mint Condition Super Mario Bros. Just Became the Most Expensive Game Ever Sold at Auction

Record-breaking auctions of cars, watches, and even whisky bottles come as no surprise. After all, it seems each year auction sale records are topped. But, there is a new unlikely contender, and it comes from the gaming world.

Early this week, a rare copy of Super Mario Bros. sold for $114,000 (approximately P5.6 million) in a Heritage Auction sale. What makes this copy special is that it's in mint condition—having never been taken out of its box since it was first released in 1985.

"The demand for this game was extremely high, and if any lot in the sale could hit a number like that, it was going to be this one," Heritage Auctions video games director Valarie McLeckie said. "We knew this would be a strong live session, but I don’t think anybody could have anticipated how much bidding action there was on Heritage Live! and the phones."

Another detail that made the auction all the more covetable is the rare cardboard hangtab it comes with. This version precedes the batches which used plastic packaging instead.

Before the P5.6 million sale took the title of the most expensive video game, a similar copy of Super Mario Bros. held the distinction for selling for $100,150 (approximately P4.9 million) in February.

The moral of the story? Don't skip the chance to spring clean because you never know if any of the old items in your house are worth a fortune.