A sealed second-production run copy of Super Mario Bros. for the NES sold for $3 million at auction on June 12, 2026, according to Heritage Auctions [1, 2, 3, 4]. The sale shattered the previous record for a Super Mario Bros. copy, which was a $2 million private sale in 2021 [1, 5, 2].
The copy carried a rare glossy sticker seal used in the second production run around 1985-1986, which was discontinued shortly thereafter in favor of shrink-wrapping [1, 5, 2, 3, 4]. Only three sealed copies with this sticker variant are known to exist, making it extremely rare. Heritage Auctions described it as "the earliest and best graded among them" and noted that the variant had never appeared in a public auction sealed before [1].
PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) graded the game 9.6 A++, confirming its near-pristine condition [1, 5, 6, 2, 3, 4]. The game was found inside a sealed Control Deck NES console bundle that had been untouched for nearly 40 years, adding to the item's rarity. The buyer also received the boxed NES console bundle along with the game [1, 5, 6, 2, 3, 4].
Evan Masingill, Heritage Auctions Consignment Director, said, "The remarkable back story — it was just discovered a few months ago inside a brand-new Control Deck NES console bundle, meaning it has not been touched for nearly 40 years — makes the result even more impressive" [5]. He added, "It is only appropriate that the most significant video game in the world should bring the more impressive result in the history of the hobby" [2].
Heritage Auctions also highlighted how the item "represents the closest a collector can come to owning the very moment Super Mario Bros. transformed console video games from a struggling novelty into a permanent part of cultural history" [4].
The vintage gaming collectibles market has surged in recent years. In July 2020, a Super Mario Bros. copy sold for $114,000, setting a prior record at the time [1, 6]. The 2021 private sale and now this auction indicate rapidly rising values in the sector [1, 6, 3].
Heritage Auctions co-founder James Halperin, a former WATA investor, noted this auction used PSA grading amid some controversy surrounding WATA [1, 3].
The $3 million sale marks the highest auction price ever achieved for a Super Mario Bros. game. The sealed copy's rarity, condition, and provenance from the second production run were key factors driving the record price [1, 5, 6, 2, 3, 4].
