The earliest known copy of Super Mario Bros is hitting the auction block next month, and it’s not just any cartridge. This 1985-era NES cart was created at Nintendo before mass production began, making it potentially the master copy from which all retail versions were based. Christie’s is handling the sale as part of their Groundbreakers: Icons of our Time auction, with estimates placing the final price between £100,000 and £150,000, roughly $130,000 to $200,000.
Here’s what makes this auction special: every penny goes to the Video Game History Foundation, a charity dedicated to preserving gaming’s most important artifacts. The VGHF can’t confirm with absolute certainty that this is the original master copy, but the evidence strongly suggests it. This cartridge predates commercial production and represents a piece of gaming history that collectors and historians thought might not even exist anymore.
What Makes This Cartridge Different
This isn’t a sealed retail copy that someone tucked away in a desk drawer for 35 years. This is a pre-production cartridge created before Nintendo began manufacturing Super Mario Bros for store shelves. The Video Game History Foundation says this cartridge was made at Nintendo’s facilities before the assembly line started running, which would make it one of the first physical copies of the game to exist.
The distinction between a pre-production cart and a retail copy matters significantly in the collectibles world. While sealed retail copies have sold for millions in recent years, those were mass-produced items that happened to remain in pristine condition. This cartridge is potentially unique. If it is indeed the master copy, it’s the source code made physical, the template from which every other copy was manufactured.
Nintendo’s standard practice in the 1980s was to create master copies for manufacturing purposes, then destroy prototypes and development materials once production concluded. The fact that this cartridge survived at all is remarkable. Most pre-production gaming materials from this era were either lost, destroyed, or locked away in corporate archives that will never be made public.
Why Super Mario Bros Matters
Super Mario Bros launched on September 13, 1985 in Japan and October 1985 in North America as a launch title for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game didn’t just become popular. It saved the entire video game industry after the crash of 1983 that nearly killed console gaming in North America.
Before Super Mario Bros, the American video game market was in ruins. Atari’s collapse, the flood of low-quality games, and retailer distrust had created an environment where major stores refused to stock gaming products. Nintendo positioned the NES as a toy rather than a game console, bundled it with R.O.B. the robot, and bet everything on Super Mario Bros as the system’s flagship title.
The gamble paid off. Super Mario Bros sold over 40 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling video game for decades until Wii Sports overtook it in 2009. The game established platforming conventions that developers still follow today, introduced iconic characters that transcended gaming, and proved that video games could be legitimate entertainment products rather than a passing fad.
The Impact on Game Design
Super Mario Bros revolutionized game design through its approach to player guidance. Designer Shigeru Miyamoto created a first level that teaches players the game’s mechanics through environmental design rather than text tutorials. The opening screen places a Goomba in Mario’s path at a safe distance, giving players time to learn movement before facing threats. A question block floats above, teaching jumping. Power-ups appear in logical locations, rewarding exploration.
This design philosophy influenced every platformer that followed. The game’s tight controls, responsive physics, and carefully calibrated difficulty curve set standards the industry still measures itself against 40 years later. When modern game designers talk about intuitive level design and player guidance, they’re building on foundations Super Mario Bros established.
The Wild History of Super Mario Bros Auction Records
Super Mario Bros cartridges have shattered video game auction records repeatedly over the past few years, creating a speculative market that some collectors call a bubble and others see as justified appreciation for gaming history.
In February 2019, a sealed 1985 test-market copy sold for $100,150 through Heritage Auctions. At the time, this seemed absurd for a game that sold tens of millions of copies. Then in July 2020, another copy sold for $114,000. By April 2021, a sealed 1986 production copy fetched $660,000, shattering previous records.
The record didn’t last long. Super Mario 64 sold for $1.56 million in July 2021. Then in August 2021, another Super Mario Bros copy sold for $2 million through Rally, becoming the most expensive video game ever sold at auction. These astronomical prices sparked controversy and accusations of market manipulation, with some collectors claiming Heritage Auctions and grading company Wata Games were artificially inflating prices.
The pre-production cartridge going to Christie’s exists in a different category from those sealed retail copies. This isn’t speculation on a mass-produced item that happened to survive in mint condition. This is an artifact from before mass production existed, making direct comparisons to previous sales difficult.
What the Video Game History Foundation Does
The Video Game History Foundation is a California-based charity founded in 2017 by gaming historian Frank Cifaldi. The organization focuses on preserving video game history through collecting physical artifacts, digitizing documentation, and advocating for copyright reform that allows game preservation efforts.
The VGHF has worked on major projects including preserving rare development documents, conducting oral histories with industry veterans before their stories are lost, and fighting for legal protections that let researchers study obsolete games without facing copyright lawsuits. They’ve partnered with museums, libraries, and academic institutions to ensure gaming history is taken seriously as cultural heritage.
Funding preservation work isn’t cheap. Physical storage costs money. Digitization equipment is expensive. Staff salaries and research budgets require consistent revenue. Auction proceeds from the Super Mario Bros cartridge will directly support the foundation’s mission, potentially funding years of preservation projects that might otherwise never happen.
How Christie’s Got Involved
Christie’s entry into the video game collectibles market represents a significant shift in how mainstream auction houses view gaming artifacts. For decades, video game memorabilia was considered niche collecting territory handled by specialty auctioneers. Now one of the world’s most prestigious auction houses is treating a Super Mario Bros cartridge as worthy of inclusion alongside fine art and historical artifacts.
The Groundbreakers: Icons of our Time auction places the Super Mario Bros cartridge alongside other culturally significant items that shaped modern life. This framing elevates video games from toys or entertainment products into legitimate historical artifacts that deserve preservation and serious study.
Christie’s involvement also brings credibility and visibility that specialty gaming auctions can’t match. When Christie’s auctions something, it gets covered by mainstream media outlets that wouldn’t normally report on video game sales. That increased visibility helps the Video Game History Foundation reach donors and supporters beyond the gaming community.
FAQs
When is the Super Mario Bros cartridge auction?
The auction is scheduled for December 2025 as part of Christie’s “Groundbreakers: Icons of our Time” sale. The exact date within December has not been publicly announced yet.
How much is the Super Mario Bros cartridge expected to sell for?
Christie’s estimates the cartridge will sell between £100,000 and £150,000, approximately $130,000 to $200,000 USD. However, auction estimates are conservative and the final price could exceed expectations.
Is this really the original master copy of Super Mario Bros?
The Video Game History Foundation says it’s possible but cannot confirm with certainty. The cartridge was created at Nintendo before mass production began, making it one of the earliest known copies and potentially the master from which retail copies were manufactured.
Where are the auction proceeds going?
All proceeds from the auction will go to the Video Game History Foundation, a charity organization dedicated to preserving gaming history through collecting artifacts, digitizing documentation, and advocating for preservation-friendly copyright reform.
Can anyone bid on the Super Mario Bros cartridge?
Yes, Christie’s auctions are open to registered bidders worldwide. You’ll need to register with Christie’s before the auction and meet their bidding requirements, which may include providing financial information for high-value lots.
What is the most expensive video game ever sold?
A sealed copy of Super Mario Bros sold for $2 million in August 2021 through collectibles site Rally, setting the current record. However, that sale sparked controversy and accusations of market manipulation.
Why are old video games selling for so much money?
Multiple factors drive high prices: nostalgia from collectors who grew up with these games, wealthy buyers entering the gaming collectibles market, speculation treating games as alternative investments, and genuine scarcity of well-preserved early gaming artifacts.
How can I support the Video Game History Foundation?
You can donate directly through the VGHF website, purchase their published books and research materials, or follow their social media to spread awareness about game preservation efforts. They also accept donations of rare gaming materials for their archive.
Conclusion
The Super Mario Bros pre-production cartridge auction represents something bigger than another collectible hitting the block. This is about recognizing video games as cultural artifacts worthy of preservation and serious historical study. When Christie’s auctions a pre-production cartridge alongside other icons of our time, it validates what gamers have known for decades: these games matter. They shaped childhoods, influenced culture, and changed entertainment forever. The fact that proceeds benefit the Video Game History Foundation transforms what could be another speculative collectibles transaction into meaningful support for preservation work. Whether the cartridge sells for $130,000 or exceeds estimates to reach $500,000, that money will fund projects that ensure future generations can study and appreciate gaming history. The video game crash of 1983 nearly killed the industry. Super Mario Bros brought it back from the brink and laid foundations for the multi-billion dollar gaming world we know today. The earliest known copy of that world-changing game deserves to be preserved, studied, and celebrated. That’s exactly what this auction accomplishes.