One key issue which sets video games apart from most high-end collectibles is that we can all remember seeing these games for sale when they were new. In the realm of collecting, most of the games we all saw were not generally in the conditions that go for tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Heritage Auctions Video Games Signature Auction was yet another opportunity to see what is being paid for the highest graded examples.

The current winner by far — John Madden Football sold for nearly a half million dollars!!!

Collectors Dashboard evaluates high-end collectibles as an alternative asset class. This means collectibles are attracting the same capital that could have been invested into stocks or bonds. Many collectibles now cost thousands of dollars (or much more). Collectors with a passion to own a collectible for years frequently have to compete directly against investors whose only desire is to make a profit in the future.

Heritage Auctions profiled some old favorite titles in this auction as well as some more unknown to the average collector. With the recent passing of NFL legend and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame John Maddon, the ripples in all areas of sports collecting can be noticed. John Madden Football Sold For $480,000.00 in the Heritage Auctions January 28th and 29th Video Games Signature Auction. The video game is a high grade of the first ever John Madden Football video game from 1990. Image below by Heritage Auctions.

Loosely based on the 1988 computer game of the same title, “John Madden Football” 1990 video game was the first entry into what would become the yearly Madden NFL series. The franchise was shortened to its present form as Madden NFL in 1994. Heritage Auctions notes that a sealed box of the first Madden game is very rare. Here are the final realized auction prices from this auction:

John Madden Football – Wata 9.2 A+ Sealed [Cardboard Box], Genesis Electronic Arts 1990 USA had a bid of $70,000.00 after 28 bids on January 24 and sold for $480,000.00 on January 28, 2022 after 35 bids.

The second high sale of the Heritage video game auction was Sonic the Hedgehog – Wata 9.6 B+ Sealed [Printed in Japan, Early Production], Genesis Sega 1991 USA which sold for $240,000.00 on January 28, 2022 after 34 bids. What Heritage Auctions noted in the description jokingly is that, “Sega Does What Nintendon’t!” and this technically became true for every Nintendo game that sold below it.

The Pokémon Red Game featuring a picture of Charizard on the cover only had 278 page views on January 24. One collector could have made the observation that John Madden was more popular than Charizard in this auction. Here are the final sale prices of other popular video games.

Pokémon Red Version – Wata 9.8 A++ Sealed [Sandshrew, First Production], GameBoy Nintendo 1998 USA which had a bid of $17,500.00 after 29 bids on January 24 and sold for $102,000.00 on January 28, 2022 after 39 bids.

Super Mario Bros. – Wata 9.8 A+ Sealed [Oval SOQ R, Last Production] (The Carolina Collection), NES Nintendo 1985 USA which had a bid of $62,500,00 after 20 bids on January 24 and sold for $186,000.00 on January 28, 2022 after 30 bids.

The Legend of Zelda – Wata 9.2 A Sealed [Rev-A Round SOQ, Early Production], NES Nintendo 1987 USA which had a bid of $41,000.00 after 16 bids on January 24 and sold for $180,000.00 on January 28, 2022 after 25 bids.

Nintendo World Championships 1990 Grey – Wata 6.0 Cart [#0084], NES Nintendo 1990 USA which had a bid of $31,000.00 after 11 bids on January 24 and sold for $69,000.00 on January 28, 2022 after 18 bids.

Super Mario Land – Wata 9.4 A+ [Green Screenshots, First Production] GameBoy Nintendo 1989 USA which had a bid of $24,000.00 after 12 bids on January 24 and sold for $90,000.00 on January 28, 2022 after 20 bids.

The Legend of Zelda – Wata 9.6 A+ Sealed [Oval SOQ TM, Later Production], NES Nintendo 1987 USA had a bid of $23,000.00 after 11 bids on January 24 and sold for $156,000.00 on January 28, 2022 after 18 bids.

Halo: Combat Evolved (NFR) – Wata 9.8 A+ Sealed [Microsoft Security Label], Xbox Microsoft 2001 USA had a bid of $22,000.00 after 12 bids on January 24 and sold for $108,000.00 on January 28, 2022 after 20 bids.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time – Wata 9.4 A Sealed [Made in Japan, Early Production], SNES Konami 1992 USA had a bid of $20,000.00 after 6 bids on January 24 and sold for $38,400.00 on January 28, 2022 after 11 bids.