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10 Video Games and Consoles That Are Worth a Small Fortune

If you've got your hand on one of these video games or consoles, you may be sitting on a goldmine.

By Michelle Smith

Edited by Calista Headrick

Updated Dec. 18, 2024

Want to make extra money on the side? If you're a lifelong video game fan, you can start by looking through your own dusty attic.

Depending on which consoles or video games you stashed away in old boxes, you could be sitting on a fortune you didn't even know you had.

Whether you're hoping to collect valuable items for yourself or sell them to build your wealth, here are some of the most valuable video games and consoles so you know what to look for.

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1985 Super Mario Bros.

At an investment auction in 2021, an unopened copy of the 1985 Super Mario Bros. game sold for a whopping $2 million.

While you aren't likely to sell your own copy for that much, the classic Nintendo game (and the first of the Super Mario franchise) goes for anywhere from $10 to $7,500 on eBay, depending on the condition.

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Gold-Plated Nintendo Wii Supreme

The innovative Nintendo Wii console was originally priced at $249 for U.S. markets, but some unofficially souped-up versions cost much more.

U.K. businessman Stuart Hughes produced three copies of a gold-plated Nintendo Wii, which he dubbed the Nintendo Wii Supreme and priced at £299,995 (the equivalent of around $380,000 USD).

Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!

In this 1987 NES game, you play as a boxer named Little Mac, who fights his way up the ranks toward a final match with Mike Tyson.

You can typically get your hands on a copy for $40 to $50, but a sealed edition with a Wata rating of 9.6 A++ sold for $102,000 at auction in 2021. Shortly after, another unsealed copy with a WATA score of 9.8 sold for $312,000.

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Atari Jaguar

The Atari Jaguar was released with limited success in 1993 but couldn't compete with popular systems like the PlayStation, Sega Genesis, and Super Nintendo systems.

In the end, only around 150,000 units were sold. Today, pre-owned consoles are listed on eBay for several hundred dollars to over a thousand.

Shopping pro tip: This month's best deals

April brings not just warmer weather and sunnier days, but also excellent shopping opportunities. With Easter happening on April 20, retailers will offer significant discounts on seasonal items at the end of the month, while also preparing for graduations, weddings, and spring cleaning season.

Here are some of the best deals to watch out for:

Cookware sets on sale for graduation and wedding season
Winter clearance items like coats and sweaters at end-of-season prices
Spring cleaning supplies with potential BOGO offers at stores like Target
Air conditioners before peak summer demand drives prices higher
Lawn care equipment as homeowners prepare for the growing season
Post-Easter candy and ham at deeply discounted prices once the holiday has passed
For grocery savings, consider seasonal produce like asparagus, broccoli, and spinach, which will be at their freshest and most affordable.

Remember that retailers are always thinking a season ahead. They're already preparing to get rid of spring merchandise while you're just getting ready to enjoy it. This makes April a great time to find budget-boosting deals of all kinds and save money at your favorite retailers.

Atari Jaguar CD

The Atari Jaguar CD is exactly what it sounds like — an Atari Jaguar console with an attached CD-ROM. These bulky, awkward consoles are even rarer than the Atari Jaguar.

Unopened, the console goes anywhere from $500 to $1,500 on eBay. With any of the console's 13 games included, the price skyrockets — one Atari Jaguar CD with 19 video game cartridges and CDs was listed at $4,500.

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The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda is the first game in one of the most iconic, most beloved, and best-selling video game series of all time.

Not all copies of the 1987 original release sell for thousands of dollars, but a sealed copy of the "NES TM" version — an extremely limited release produced at the end of 1987 — went for $870,000 at auction.

Neo Geo Pocket Color

SNK's Neo Geo Pocket series was meant to compete with late 90s handheld consoles like the Nintendo Game Boy. However, Neo Geos were never as popular as its competitors, and the company went bankrupt in 2001.

While you can still find regular Neo Geo Pockets for $70 to upwards of $100 on eBay, some Neo Geo Pocket Colors — produced between 1999 and 2001 — go for quite a bit more. Depending on the color, you could get around $660.

Super Mario Bros. 2 (Japanese version)

Nintendo followed up its hit Super Mario Bros. game with a sequel, only released in Japan, Super Mario Bros. 2, which was much more challenging than the first. Like the original Super Mario Bros., the sequel allows you to play as either Mario or Luigi — though unlike the original, the sequel gives Mario and Luigi separate strengths and weaknesses.

While some versions of the game sell for around $40 on eBay, an original, mint-condition copy once went for $324,000 at auction.

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Sega SG-1000

Sega's first video game console was released in 1983 in just a handful of countries, including Japan and New Zealand. Around 2 million units were sold before the product was discontinued and replaced with the SG-1000 II.

A pristine copy is worth about $1,500, but depending on the condition, a pre-owned SG-1000 console could go for $400 to $600.

Quick tips: How to spot a scam

Online scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their attempts to separate you from your money. Understanding the warning signs and following simple safety practices can help you avoid becoming a victim of these increasingly common schemes.

Here are some safety tips when it comes to purchasing items in online marketplaces:

Verify marketplace sellers by checking their profile history. Was their profile created this week? Do they have personal posts?
Communicate only through the platform's official messaging system, not external emails or text messages.
Request a video call to see the item.
Be immediately suspicious of sellers who claim PayPal isn't working and suggest alternate payment methods like gift cards, wire transfers, or Zelle.
Only use PayPal's "Goods and Services" option when purchasing items, never "Friends and Family," as only the former offers buyer protection.

Protecting yourself doesn't require technical expertise, just healthy skepticism and a pause before taking action. When someone creates urgency ("act now or miss out"), take that as a signal to slow down and verify. Remember that preventing scams is typically much easier than recovering lost funds, especially in the case of wire transfers and Zelle.

John Madden Football

John Madden Football came to life in 1988 for the Apple II computer, but the franchise quickly took off and expanded to other consoles, including the Sega Genesis in 1990.

A sealed version of an original copy owned by the office of John Madden himself sold for $480,000 at auction in 2021 — at the time, the most a sports video game had ever sold for.

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Bottom line

Looking through thrift stores (or even cleaning out your own closet) to find and resell forgotten treasures is a great way to get ahead financially.

While most of your finds likely won't bring in the high sums above, it's worth remembering that every penny counts — and that over time, the smallest sales can add up to a big financial win.

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