Being able to find and sell retro consoles and gaming paraphernalia has enormous potential to earn the seller a hefty sum. Take the recent story of the sealed copy of The Legend of Zelda on NES, which sold at auction for a record-breaking $870,000. It's reports like this which are enough to make any gamer rummage through their attics and basements looking for potentially valuable hardware and software. What's even sweeter is the thought of selling rare Nintendo items and donating the proceeds to charity.
That's exactly what one person from Goodwill did. In a recent report, Nichole Garcia, who is a services representative for the charity, discovered a mint condition Nintendo Entertainment System bundled with 27 games. Seeing an eye for value, Garcia decided to sell the whole thing on Goodwill's auction site. In doing so, both the console and the games ended up selling for a staggering $30,002, allegedly the highest the organization's site has ever received. The console alone went for $650.
This is also not the first time Goodwill has been involved in video game-based charity auctions. Just a few weeks ago, the organization sold off a rare copy of 1982's Air Raid which went for $10,000. Perhaps the most unusual thing about this gem, is that the game has a T-shaped handle and is a title known not so much for its gameplay elements, but because of its rarity, possibly due to it being the only game made and released by its developer, Men-A-Vision.
Gaming and charities often come together for the betterment of humanity. Back in May this year, UK charity GamesAid raised nearly $85,000 for worthy causes. With Nintendo retro consoles fetching thousands at auction, people like Garcia can really help out charities such as Goodwill. It shows that gaming is more than just the products that keep millions entertained. They have enormous potential to be put to use in society long after people have stopped buying them in droves.
It seems as though, if people come across sealed Nintendo consoles or games, chances are it could be worth a lot of money. Late last year, a copy of the 1988 classic Super Mario Bros. 3 sold for $156,000, a record at the time. That may tower over what the items for Goodwill fetched, but $30,002 is still an enormous amount, and it all goes towards charity. It's a testament to how valuable these things can be, as well as the generosity of people like Nichole Garcia.
Source: Nintendo Life