The thing about video game consoles is that they're often called a collector's item but only certain ones are. Sure, there are hundreds of millions of PS4s and Xbox Ones throughout the world, so those can't really be considered as such. But when special collector's editions, custom made consoles, and rare consoles from the past are taken into account, it's easy to see what an extensive and expensive hobby console collecting can become.

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Many of these consoles are beautiful, but anybody hoping to get their hands on them all is going to have to pay a pretty penny; assuming, that is, that they can even find them for sale. These are the eighteen rarest video game consoles, and how much they're worth.

Updated June 7, 2022, by Tom Bowen: With a large proportion of the world's population stuck indoors over the past year or so, the amount of time that people spend playing video games has increased dramatically. Rather than modern titles though, many are instead choosing to spend their time enjoying retro games; as evidenced by the huge jump in retro game prices brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns. It's not just retro games that are becoming more expensive though, but also the consoles on which these classic titles are played. As a result, collectors might have to reach a little deeper into their pockets should they wish to get their hands on some of the rarest and most expensive video game consoles of all time.

18 Pokemon Stadium N64 Battle Set ($500)

To promote the wonderful Pokémon Stadium, Nintendo decided to release a special Battle Set version of the Nintendo 64. This included the Nintendo 64 console itself, Pokémon Stadium, an "atomic purple" controller, an N64 transfer Pak, and a Pokemon Trainer Journal.

These special sets are relatively rare today, but there are still a few circling around on eBay. While a specific price isn't nailed down, they're typically priced between $300 and $500, or about the same price as a modern PS4 or Xbox One.

17 This Is Cool Sega Saturn ($700)

The "This Is Cool" Saturn was a model of the Skeleton Saturn line. These were the final Saturn models to be produced, and they are distinguished by their see-through bodies. One of the models had the words "This Is Cool" inscribed on the CD drive for some bizarre reason, and only 30,000 or so were ever produced, leading to their reputation as a valuable collector's item.

Luckily, there are a few of them still floating around on eBay, where they typically sell for between $400 and $700. Whether or not four words are worth that kind of premium will depend very much on the buyer, but there are plenty of people who seem to believe that it is.

16 Pikachu N64 Set ($1,000)

The N64 was all about their Pokémon exclusives. To promote the video game Hey You, Pikachu, Toys R Us decided to release an exclusive Nintendo 64 console. This console was painted a vibrant blue and yellow, and it came with massive Pikachu and Poke Ball-themed buttons.

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It also included the game itself, the Voice Recognition Unit, the required microphone, and a "bonus animated/talking Pokemon watch." Collectors can expect to see these selling on sites like eBay for roughly $1,000; maybe more if the system is boxed and in good condition.

15 Code Veronica Dreamcast ($1,700)

The Dreamcast is an underrated console that was vastly overshadowed by the PlayStation 2. That said, it performed reasonably well and had some killer games thanks in no small part to Sega's excellent working relationship with Capcom. These included ports of several of the earlier Resident Evil games as well as the once-exclusive Resident Evil - Code: Veronica.

To promote the game, a special, limited edition version of the Dreamcast was produced and released in Japan. This contained the game itself and a unique red and see-through Dreamcast console. This is now a valuable collector's edition, and so collectors should expect to pay anywhere between $1,200 and $1,700 to get their hands on one.

14 Red Pokemon Game Boy Micro ($2,000)

Not many people remember the Game Boy Micro. It was released back in 2005 as a redesigned version of the Game Boy Advance, and it turned out to be the final product in the iconic Game Boy line.

The console is valuable enough just for that but there's also a special limited version released exclusively in Japan. The console is red in color and contains a little Pikachu decal above the B button. Despite being exceedingly rare, they can occasionally be found on eBay for around $2,000.

13 Sony PlayStation 4 20th Anniversary Edition ($2,400)

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The first of several limited-edition PlayStation consoles to make the list, the Sony PlayStation 4 20th Anniversary Edition was released in 2015 to commemorate two whole decades of the PlayStation brand. As well as being styled after Sony's original little gray box of wonders, the system also came with its own unique theme which once again mirrored the classic look of the PS One.

Only 12,300 of the consoles were ever made available to the public, which has contributed greatly to their high resale price in the modern age. Collectors can expect to shell out around $2,400 to get their hands on one that's brand-new in-box. Second-hand units can be picked up for quite a bit cheaper if one knows where to look, though there's no guarantee that all of the accessories will be included.

12 Cuphead Xbox One S ($3,000)

Cuphead Xbox One S ($3,000)

Most of the rarest video game consoles tend to date back to the twentieth century, although there are a handful of more modern systems that can sell for ridiculous prices. One such example is the Cuphead Xbox One S, which, despite being less than five years old at the time of writing, is valued at around $3,000.

The limited-edition console was created specifically for the game's L.A. launch event in 2017. Only four of them were ever made and these were given away as prizes to some of the people in attendance. Due to their rarity, the price is likely to increase further still as time passes, which may explain why their owners seem to be hanging onto them for now.

11 Nintendo 64DD ($3,000)

As any self-respecting gamer should know, the Nintendo 64 ran on cartridges. But, at the time, PlayStation was turning heads with its fancy new CD technology, and Nintendo quickly wanted a part of that action. Enter the 64DD, a disk drive peripheral released exclusively in Japan in 1996.

Unfortunately, it was a massive commercial failure and no one really remembers it even existed. But with failure comes rarity, and these babies are on a whole other level of rare. If they can find one on eBay, collectors should expect to pay somewhere between $2,500 and $3,000 for it, depending on its condition.

10 Sega Genesis CDX ($5,000)

Beginning in the early 90s, Sega combined their Genesis and Sega CD into one hybrid console called the Genesis CDX. The unit retailed for an unbelievable $400 at release, and its exorbitant price resulted in some rather lackluster sales.

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Of course, the value has only gone up with time, and the Sega Genesis CDX now fetches quite a price on sites like eBay. A typical, run-of-the-mill console sells for $1,000 at the cheapest, although better quality ones often sell for upwards of $4,000 or $5,000. It's no joke.

9 Maziora Dreamcast ($6,000)

Maziora Dreamcast ($6,000)

There were quite a few different variations of Sega's final home console, although none of them are quite as unique as the Maziora Dreamcast. Developed by a Japanese vehicle manufacturer of the same name, only 500 of them were ever made. That's not the only reason why people are willing to pay upwards of six grand for them though.

The consoles and controllers feature a special coating that causes their color to change depending on the lighting and viewing angle. In certain conditions, the systems appear to be aqua blue, but they can also take on a purple coloring if they are viewed from a different angle or the light levels change.

8 Dreamcast S.T.A.R.S. Edition ($7,000)

When it comes to rarity, the S.T.A.R.S. Dreamcast is right up there with some of the hardest-to-find systems ever released. This was a console officially released by Sega exclusively in Japan. It has a grey/blue color scheme and comes with a special S.T.A.R.S. sticker on the disc drive.

It was also released with an exclusive controller, the video game Code Veronica (again), and some other Resident Evil merchandise. Only 200 consoles were made, so as one might expect, its value has skyrocketed. It's exceedingly rare to find them for sale online, although one recently popped up on eBay for an exorbitant $7,000.

7 Pokemon World Championships Nintendo DSi XL ($7,000)

Now, this is one beautiful console. According to the seller, this is an extremely rare console that was "only given out as prizes to the top players who competed in the Pokemon World Championships in 2010 held in Hawaii."

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The console is a vibrant yellow, complete with beautiful decals of various Pokemon and the symbol for the 2010 Pokemon World Championships in the corner. The seller has valued the console at a whopping $7,000, although it doesn't seem to be getting much attention.

6 The PS1 10 Million Edition ($7,500)

The PS1 10 Million Edition ($7,500)

To celebrate its first console selling more than ten million units, Sony released a limited edition model known as the PS1 10 Million Edition. They were produced in extremely limited quantities and were dark blue in color rather than the console's signature gray.

The consoles regularly sell for more than $5,000 on eBay with the average price sitting somewhere around the $7,500 mark. That said, tales of people picking up the systems for bargain prices at yard sales or in second-hand stores do pop up online from time to time.

5 Gold Minish Cap Game Boy Advance SP ($8,000)

The elusive gold Minish Cap Game Boy Advance SP is one of the rarest consoles ever made. According to the seller, this rare limited edition pack is a UK exclusive, and it contains both the Minish Cap video game and a considerably rare gold Game Boy Advance SP.

The console itself is rare enough, but this particular copy comes equipped with a factory-sealed box in nearly mint condition. And no, it's not cheap. The seller currently has it priced at a whopping $8,000, or $334 a month for 24 months for those who would rather pay in installments.

4 Shadow of the Tomb Raider Xbox One X ($8,400)

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The result of a special collaboration between Square Enix and Microsoft, this Shadow of the Tomb Raider-themed Xbox One X is truly one of a kind and looks absolutely stunning. It was auctioned off via eBay with a view to raising money for charity, with all of the proceeds going to Best Friends Animal Society.

The winning bidder ended up paying over eight thousand dollars to get their hands on the unique system, which was released just two and a half years prior to the launch of the Xbox Series S and X. Some may see this as a bit of a waste of money, but, considering the limited nature of the console, it's likely worth more now than it was at the time of sale. Even if it isn't though, the money at least went to a good cause!

3 The Atari Cosmos ($18,853)

The Atari Cosmos ($18,853)

Atari was once a huge player in the video game industry and had several successful home consoles. One market that the company failed to break into though was the lucrative handheld sector; which its one time-rival Nintendo would eventually go on to dominate. That wasn't for lack of trying though.

The Atari Cosmos was in development for three years before eventually being canceled in 1981. Although the Cosmos was never released, five prototypes exist; three of which which are just empty shells. One of these shells found its way onto eBay in 2005 and sold for a staggering $18,853, suggesting that the two functional units are likely worth considerably more.

2 The Nintendo PlayStation ($360,000)

The Nintendo PlayStation ($360,000)

It's not uncommon for a company to dip its toes into the waters of the competitive console manufacturing market rather than diving right in. Before the Xbox, Microsoft worked together with Sega during the development of the Dreamcast and, as it turns out, Sony did something similar with Nintendo back in the early nineties.

Dubbed the "Nintendo PlayStation" by many, the resulting prototype was first discovered in 2009 by a former Advanta employee named Terry Diebold. More than a decade later, he put the device up for auction where it eventually sold for an eye-watering $360,000, making it the world's most expensive piece of gaming memorabilia at that time.

1 The Nintendo Wii Supreme ($375,000)

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With over two and a half kilograms of solid 22-carat gold and 78 flawless diamonds totaling 19 and a half carats, the Nintendo Wii Supreme definitely lives up to its name. Three of these luxury consoles were produced by Stuart Hughes, with the asking price sitting at a lofty three-hundred thousand Great British pounds. It's unclear how many have sold up until this point, but the gold alone is worth at least 150 grand.

This isn't the only gold Nintendo Wii to have been produced either, with THQ having once famously commissioned one for Queen Elizabeth II​​​​​​. The system never actually made it into the possession of her Royal Highness, however, and instead fell into the hands of a collector known as Dan2K0. After holding onto it for many years and one or two failed attempts to sell it, they were finally able to do so in May of 2022, with the royal system auctioned off by Goldin for $36,000 including fees.

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