Wow! CGC-certified Nintendo World Championships Cartridge Sells for Over $78,000

The 1990 Nintendo World Championships grey cartridge is now the highest-selling CGC-certified video game on Goldin's auction platform.

Posted on: 7/17/2024

A CGC-certified Nintendo World Championships 1990 cartridge realized more than $78,000 in a recent Goldin sale. The rare cartridge is now the highest-selling CGC-certified video game on Goldin’s auction platform, and the sixth highest-selling video game overall on Goldin’s website.

The Nintendo World Championships cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System (1990) graded CGC 6.0 realized an impressive $78,080 on July 13, 2024. Part of the high price realized was undoubtedly due to the cartridge’s rarity — less than 100 examples are known to exist, and very few of them are as well-preserved as this CGC-certified example. Additionally, Nintendo is releasing a port of the NWC cartridge on the Nintendo Switch on July 18, 2024, called the Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition. This re-release has spurred collectors to pick up the original cartridge for their collections, increasing interest in the rare item.

The first Nintendo World Championships event was held in 1990. After touring 29 cities across America and hosting regional events, Nintendo hosted the first eSports national championship at Universal Studios Hollywood in December 1990. Contestants who participated in the national championships used this grey NWC cartridge to compete in their respective events. The grey cartridge includes minigame versions of Super Mario Bros., Rad Racer and Tetris, and each game records the player’s time and score.

Other CGC-certified video games in the auction included:

  • a complete in box Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! for the Nintendo Entertainment System (1987) graded CGC 8.0 with CIB grades of 7.5 for Box, 9.2 for Cartridge and 8.0 for Manual that realized $4,270
  • a complete in box The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1992) graded CGC 9.6 with CIB grades of 9.6 for Box, 9.6 for Cartridge and 9.2 for Manual that realized $2,229
  • a complete in box The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1992) graded CGC 9.6 with CIB grades of 9.6 for Box, 9.6 for Cartridge and 9.2 for Manual that realized $1,098

All prices realized include a buyer’s premium.