Rare Nintendo 'Super Mario Bros. Duck Hunt' Cartridges Found in Wisconsin
An ultrarare collection of 97 'pristine' Super Mario Bros. Duck Hunt cartridges, believed to be from the final production run, were discovered in Wisconsin. Most will be auctioned starting Friday.
A collector has unearthed a remarkably rare hoard of 97 cartridges for the game Super Mario Bros. Duck Hunt in Wisconsin, believed to be from the last known production date of the title. Jason Ganos, a prominent Nintendo collector and operator of Nintendo Wire, a news service dedicated to Nintendo, was approached by a local store owner who had a box of these cartridges stored for years. Upon inspection, Ganos realized the collection's immense significance, describing the find as pulling out a "Holy Grail" of video game collectibles.
The discovery was made by Kevin Braun, owner of One Stop Wonders in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Braun mentioned a box of Mario cartridges to Ganos while seeking help to sell common Nintendo games and Pokémon cards. Braun had acquired them years ago from a customer whose family had intended to sell them for scrap metal, deeming them worthless. Intriguingly, these cartridges, specifically the Super Mario Bros. Duck Hunt variant, were manufactured in 1993, well after Nintendo officially discontinued the bundle in 1991. The exact reason for this later production remains uncertain, though Ganos speculates they could be warranty replacements or part of an unfulfilled retail bundle.
Recognizing the potential historical value, Ganos immediately traveled to California with the 97 cartridges in his carry-on luggage, navigating TSA with considerable anxiety. He met with video game experts at Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) to have the cartridges verified and graded. The condition of these items is extraordinary; typically, very few cartridges receive high grades. Ganos noted that no Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) cartridge had ever achieved a perfect score of 10 from PSA. However, five of the 97 cartridges Ganos discovered achieved this coveted perfect score.
A Collector's Dream and Historic Find
The potential value of ultrarare video game cartridges, especially those with a unique production history and in perfect condition, can reach six or even seven figures in the collector's market. Ganos believes the perfect condition of these Super Mario Bros. Duck Hunt cartridges, much like pristine comic books or sports cards, significantly enhances their marketability and desirability. He expressed that the ultimate worth is difficult to estimate due to their unparalleled nature compared to other video game collectibles he has encountered. They could fetch anywhere from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars each.
The auction for these historic finds is set to begin Friday, managed by Golden Pop's Culture Auction. Ganos and Braun have decided to auction off only three of the perfect 10-scored cartridges. Both Ganos and Braun will retain one perfect 10-scored cartridge each, along with a few others that received high ratings in the 9-point range. While the cartridges are playable, Ganos expressed a strong preference for preserving their mint condition, highlighting his personal connection to the game. "Finding uncirculated stuff for me is just like super exciting," Ganos said. "This game was the first video game I’ve ever played. Mario Duck Hunt was just such a big part of my life growing up." The pair also plan to hold a subsequent charity auction for some of the remaining cartridges.