Games
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
Lewis Chessman
2019 SOLD for £ 730K by Sotheby's
The Lewis hoard was revealed in 1831 by a participant during a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. It was made of 92 game pieces most of them in walrus ivory plus a belt buckle. The figures could constitute four almost complete sets of chess. The rest consisted of chess pawns and of tokens for the table game, the predecessor of backgammon.
This group had just been found on the Isle of Lewis, at the far end of the Hebrides, facing the open sea. It is now divided between the British Museum and the National Museum of Scotland.
The figures are typical of the Nordic sagas, from the majesty of the king to the ferocity of the warders that will later be the rooks. Around 1200 CE the Norse, successors of the Vikings, enjoyed the game of chess for its simulation of war, its symbolism of life and death by the black and white squares, and its killing rules.
A queen similar to its Lewis counterparts was found in Trondheim. Broken most likely during the chiseling, it testifies to a Norwegian origin of its production, using ivory from the shores of Iceland or Greenland. For the Lewis hoard, the most likely hypothesis is that it was lost by a traveling merchant in a shipwreck.
On July 2, 2019, Sotheby's sold for £ 730K a 8.8 cm high warder in walrus ivory that has all the characteristics of Lewis pieces, lot 7estimated £ 600K. As in the treasure, wear is due to prolonged contact with salt water and sand. Unlike the Lewis pieces, it has not been cleaned and retains dark green streaks that may be its original color for the game.
This piece is unpublished. It was bought in 1964 for £ 5 by an Edinburgh antique dealer from one of his colleagues and the family has loved it up to this day for its mysterious beauty from another time. It is the first Lewis-type chess piece to be available on the market since the discovery of the treasure.
Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's.
This group had just been found on the Isle of Lewis, at the far end of the Hebrides, facing the open sea. It is now divided between the British Museum and the National Museum of Scotland.
The figures are typical of the Nordic sagas, from the majesty of the king to the ferocity of the warders that will later be the rooks. Around 1200 CE the Norse, successors of the Vikings, enjoyed the game of chess for its simulation of war, its symbolism of life and death by the black and white squares, and its killing rules.
A queen similar to its Lewis counterparts was found in Trondheim. Broken most likely during the chiseling, it testifies to a Norwegian origin of its production, using ivory from the shores of Iceland or Greenland. For the Lewis hoard, the most likely hypothesis is that it was lost by a traveling merchant in a shipwreck.
On July 2, 2019, Sotheby's sold for £ 730K a 8.8 cm high warder in walrus ivory that has all the characteristics of Lewis pieces, lot 7estimated £ 600K. As in the treasure, wear is due to prolonged contact with salt water and sand. Unlike the Lewis pieces, it has not been cleaned and retains dark green streaks that may be its original color for the game.
This piece is unpublished. It was bought in 1964 for £ 5 by an Edinburgh antique dealer from one of his colleagues and the family has loved it up to this day for its mysterious beauty from another time. It is the first Lewis-type chess piece to be available on the market since the discovery of the treasure.
Please watch the video shared by Sotheby's.
Read https://t.co/oexcUwFCpg about the small ancient chess piece found in a wardrobe that could make a million in @Sothebys sale next month. #chess #antiques pic.twitter.com/fdty2AuknD
— Antique Collecting (@AntiqueMag) June 4, 2019
1616 Silver Deck of Cards
2010 SOLD for $ 555K by Christie's
The development of the woodcut engraving has also resulted in the progress of the playing cards. Sometimes a very old specimen reaches us.
The deck of 52 cards sold by Christie's on October 19, 2010 for $ 555K is exceptional because it is complete, but it has an even more unusual feature: it is made in engraved and parcel-gilt silver. It had a lower estimate of $ 150K.
Two systems have coexisted for many years. Tarot cards, used for divination, used as suits the swords, batons, cups, and coins, with 4 figures and 10 values per suit for a total of 56 cards. The set of 52 narrated here is a tarot without the knights, being so very close to the classic game design with clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades.
The ace of batons is dated 1616 and the knave of swords is inscribed in the name of Frömmer, a goldsmith of Augsburg. The best guess is that this game was produced to go into a cabinet of curiosities, the support for knowledge that was very fashionable during the reign of Rudolf II.
The deck of 52 cards sold by Christie's on October 19, 2010 for $ 555K is exceptional because it is complete, but it has an even more unusual feature: it is made in engraved and parcel-gilt silver. It had a lower estimate of $ 150K.
Two systems have coexisted for many years. Tarot cards, used for divination, used as suits the swords, batons, cups, and coins, with 4 figures and 10 values per suit for a total of 56 cards. The set of 52 narrated here is a tarot without the knights, being so very close to the classic game design with clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades.
The ace of batons is dated 1616 and the knave of swords is inscribed in the name of Frömmer, a goldsmith of Augsburg. The best guess is that this game was produced to go into a cabinet of curiosities, the support for knowledge that was very fashionable during the reign of Rudolf II.
Super Mario Bros by Nintendo
Intro
Spectacular advances in electronics are paving the way for increasingly complex video games. Publishers must take a position between the arcade game and the personal computer. The American market, led by Atari, overestimates the user expectations, leading to a collapse by overproduction in 1983.
Nintendo had been developing since 1981 a console with interchangeable cartridges. Distributed from 1985, the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) responds perfectly to the needs and ensures in two or three years to the Japanese company the lasting control of this world market.
The NES is launched with 18 titles of which the best selling is Super Mario Bros. This game, which can be replayed with increased difficulty, is inspired by the Mario Bros. arcade game of the same brand. The player takes the role of Mario with controls much effective for that time, and manages a war against creatures that can change their shape.
The practical details remained to be defined, in particular for the packaging of the cartridge. The plastic film supersedes the sticker closing. The first wrapped copies still include a cardboard hangtab which is early abandoned because it was superfluous under the plastic wrap.
The condition is graded by Wata with a double scale, up to 10 for the game and from C to A++ for the quality of an original seal.
Nintendo had been developing since 1981 a console with interchangeable cartridges. Distributed from 1985, the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) responds perfectly to the needs and ensures in two or three years to the Japanese company the lasting control of this world market.
The NES is launched with 18 titles of which the best selling is Super Mario Bros. This game, which can be replayed with increased difficulty, is inspired by the Mario Bros. arcade game of the same brand. The player takes the role of Mario with controls much effective for that time, and manages a war against creatures that can change their shape.
The practical details remained to be defined, in particular for the packaging of the cartridge. The plastic film supersedes the sticker closing. The first wrapped copies still include a cardboard hangtab which is early abandoned because it was superfluous under the plastic wrap.
The condition is graded by Wata with a double scale, up to 10 for the game and from C to A++ for the quality of an original seal.
1
1985
2021 SOLD for $ 660K by Heritage
On July 10, 2020 Heritage sold for $ 114K a sealed 3-Code Super Mario Bros. with one of the hangtab variants of the first year, graded 9.4 A+ by Wata. The previous record had been $ 40K for a piece from the same variant in 8.0 A grade.
On April 2, 2021, Heritage sold for $ 660K a sealed 1-Code Super Mario Bros with the hangtab, graded 9.6 A+ by Wata, lot 93028.
On April 2, 2021, Heritage sold for $ 660K a sealed 1-Code Super Mario Bros with the hangtab, graded 9.6 A+ by Wata, lot 93028.
2
1987
2021 SOLD for $ 680K by Goldin
On September 18, 2021, Goldin sold a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros for $ 680K, lot 21. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
It is identified through the hangtab, the NES code, the pre Rev A issue and the Nintendo seal of quality that it is an early production copy made in 1987. It is graded 9.2 A by Wata.
On October 29, 2021, Heritage sold for $ 490K a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros, lot 28072. It is a rare mid production copy from the 1987 2-Code variant with the hangtab under the plastic seal. In pristine condition, it is graded 9.4 A by Wata.
It is identified through the hangtab, the NES code, the pre Rev A issue and the Nintendo seal of quality that it is an early production copy made in 1987. It is graded 9.2 A by Wata.
On October 29, 2021, Heritage sold for $ 490K a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros, lot 28072. It is a rare mid production copy from the 1987 2-Code variant with the hangtab under the plastic seal. In pristine condition, it is graded 9.4 A by Wata.
1987 The Legend of Zelda by Nintendo
1
NES R
2021 SOLD for $ 870K by Heritage
The Legend of Zelda, edited by Nintendo, is a major hit in the wonder world of the entertainment video games. In February 1986 the original Japanese version is released to be played with a new Famicom peripheral. The American version is prepared in 1987 for the Nintendo NES.
The thrill of the one-player game is mixing adventure, exploration and enigma, by which the hero named Link fights villains and creatures to free Princess Zelda. It marks a big improvement from all previous video games by the complexity of the playing strategy and the fineness of characters and scenery.
The original American version, before the attribution of a revision number, was made in two subsequent runs in late 1987, the exceedingly rare NES TM variant and the highly rare NES R variant.
On July 9, 2021, Heritage sold at lot 28030 for $ 870K a sealed very early 'No Revision' copy of the Legend of Zelda. It is graded 9.0 A and labeled as a R variant by Wata. Only one sealed TM example was known to Wata at that time. Nintendo sold more than 6.5 million copies of that first opus of the Zelda series.
The thrill of the one-player game is mixing adventure, exploration and enigma, by which the hero named Link fights villains and creatures to free Princess Zelda. It marks a big improvement from all previous video games by the complexity of the playing strategy and the fineness of characters and scenery.
The original American version, before the attribution of a revision number, was made in two subsequent runs in late 1987, the exceedingly rare NES TM variant and the highly rare NES R variant.
On July 9, 2021, Heritage sold at lot 28030 for $ 870K a sealed very early 'No Revision' copy of the Legend of Zelda. It is graded 9.0 A and labeled as a R variant by Wata. Only one sealed TM example was known to Wata at that time. Nintendo sold more than 6.5 million copies of that first opus of the Zelda series.
2
NES TM
2021 SOLD for $ 710K by Heritage
A sealed copy of the 'TM' first production run of The Legend of Zelda was stirred to the surface by the great resultof a R variant by Heritage in July 2021. Graded 8.0 A by Wata, it was sold for $ 710K by Heritage in Dallas on October 29, 2021, lot 28036.
A story on Twitter narrated that a kid got it as a gift but left it sealed because he already had one.
Only two other copies are known in this very early configuration. One of them is graded 9.4 A+ by Wata and the other one has not been graded.
A story on Twitter narrated that a kid got it as a gift but left it sealed because he already had one.
Only two other copies are known in this very early configuration. One of them is graded 9.4 A+ by Wata and the other one has not been graded.
1996 Super Mario 64 by Nintendo
1
2021 SOLD for $ 1.56M by Heritage
The fifth generation of video game consoles starts in 1994. Sony's PlayStation and Sega's Saturn dominate that market. The 32 bit standard enables the 3D, a novelty that captivates the players : the real time in an environment that matches the three dimensional reality of a real world. The realism of the obstacles is superseding the profusion of the characters.
In the everlasting run ahead, Nintendo releases in 1996 the N64 console with a 64 bit standard. Three games are available for that new equipment. The most popular is Super Mario 64 with a total over time of nearly 12 million sold copies. The character is capable of an unprecedented freedom of 28 movements including many special jumps and picking objects.
A sealed Super Mario 64 was sold for $ 1.56M by Heritage on June 12, 2021, lot 28137. It is in pristine condition, graded 98 by Wata with a perfect A++ sealing. According to the pre sale release, Wata states that there are fewer than five sealed copies of that title in that grade.
In the everlasting run ahead, Nintendo releases in 1996 the N64 console with a 64 bit standard. Three games are available for that new equipment. The most popular is Super Mario 64 with a total over time of nearly 12 million sold copies. The character is capable of an unprecedented freedom of 28 movements including many special jumps and picking objects.
A sealed Super Mario 64 was sold for $ 1.56M by Heritage on June 12, 2021, lot 28137. It is in pristine condition, graded 98 by Wata with a perfect A++ sealing. According to the pre sale release, Wata states that there are fewer than five sealed copies of that title in that grade.
2
2021 SOLD for $ 800K by Goldin
Another sealed Super Mario 64 in the same Wata grade 9.8 A++ as the example above was sold for $ 800K by Goldin on September 18, 2021, lot 3.
1999 Pokémon Base Set Complete Collection
2021 SOLD for $ 680K by Goldin
Young people expected new games to be compatible with electronic techniques in all their diversity. Pokémon was developed in Japan in 1995 by Nintendo. Trading cards are just one part of their global success.
The first cards are edited in November 1996 by Media Factory. Topsun publishes in March 1997 a series of trading cards to be added in the packs of Top-Seika apple flavored chewing gum. For 60 yen, the greedy collector had two pieces of gum and two cards in his pack. These images are not yet for gaming.
The name "Pocket Monsters" appears in English on the cover of the package amidst the Japanese inscriptions. The cards in this series are characterized by a blue back and by the absence of numbering of the figures. Among about fifty monsters, the stars are Charizard (aka Lizardon) and Blastoise, as in the video game.
The copyright dated 1995 corresponds to the trademark registration of the video game and is carried jointly by Nintendo, Creatures Inc and Game Freak Inc. The numbering of the monsters will appear in May 1997 and the holofoil printing with a prismatic effect in June 1997.
The applications are unlimited, including the constitution of complete sets, fights, contests. Of course, the production run of some cards is much lower. Such variation in the scarcity had already been managed from 1993 in sports cards, with Topps serialized Refractors.
Wizards of the Coast, created in 1990 in the suburbs of Seattle, ensured the transition with the prehistory of video games through the acquisition of Dungeons and Dragons in 1997. In 1998 they obtained the franchise for the edition of Pokémon cards in the United States.
The 1st Edition Gaming Card Base Set was published in January 1999 with 102 monsters irregularly distributed in the packs. The stars are Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur and the unmissable Pikachu.
These cards are divided into several groups. 1 to 16 display figures in full activity, printed on holofoil. At number 4, Charizard is one of the two most powerful in the series with 120 hit points. 17 to 69 are secondary characters, 70 to 95 are the Trainers which define the actions in the game, 96 to 102 define the various types of Energy.
The packs of eleven were made of one rare card from the ranges 1 to 22 and 70 to 79, three uncommon cards and seven common cards. The rare item was a holographic card in approximately one of every three packs. Cheaters weighed the packs for reselling the sealed packs which did not have a holographic card.
The Base Set is complete if it includes the two variants of the 58, the Pikachu with yellow cheeks and the Pikachu with red cheeks which was a printing error. On January 30, 2021, Goldin sold for $ 680K as lot 33 such a complete collection including the two 58's. Each of these 103 cards has been individually graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA.
The rarest card from the Base Set is the holo # 4 featuring Charizard, a monster inspired by the European dragon whose fighting qualities are Fire for attack and Flight for defense. Beware the Charizard : it means Charcoal Lizard, unfortunately not Charming Lizard.
The high rhythm of diversification ensures the success. Jungle added 64 cards in June 1999 and Fossil 62 cards in October of the same year. Meanwhile, in September, Wizards was acquired by Hasbro for around $ 325M.
The Pokémons have been able to multiply their species and variants so that the games are continuously relaunched and to include codes to be scanned to discover hidden games. Since 2016, Pokémon-Go designed for mobile phones has been a social phenomenon, including a few applications that compete with social networks.
The first cards are edited in November 1996 by Media Factory. Topsun publishes in March 1997 a series of trading cards to be added in the packs of Top-Seika apple flavored chewing gum. For 60 yen, the greedy collector had two pieces of gum and two cards in his pack. These images are not yet for gaming.
The name "Pocket Monsters" appears in English on the cover of the package amidst the Japanese inscriptions. The cards in this series are characterized by a blue back and by the absence of numbering of the figures. Among about fifty monsters, the stars are Charizard (aka Lizardon) and Blastoise, as in the video game.
The copyright dated 1995 corresponds to the trademark registration of the video game and is carried jointly by Nintendo, Creatures Inc and Game Freak Inc. The numbering of the monsters will appear in May 1997 and the holofoil printing with a prismatic effect in June 1997.
The applications are unlimited, including the constitution of complete sets, fights, contests. Of course, the production run of some cards is much lower. Such variation in the scarcity had already been managed from 1993 in sports cards, with Topps serialized Refractors.
Wizards of the Coast, created in 1990 in the suburbs of Seattle, ensured the transition with the prehistory of video games through the acquisition of Dungeons and Dragons in 1997. In 1998 they obtained the franchise for the edition of Pokémon cards in the United States.
The 1st Edition Gaming Card Base Set was published in January 1999 with 102 monsters irregularly distributed in the packs. The stars are Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur and the unmissable Pikachu.
These cards are divided into several groups. 1 to 16 display figures in full activity, printed on holofoil. At number 4, Charizard is one of the two most powerful in the series with 120 hit points. 17 to 69 are secondary characters, 70 to 95 are the Trainers which define the actions in the game, 96 to 102 define the various types of Energy.
The packs of eleven were made of one rare card from the ranges 1 to 22 and 70 to 79, three uncommon cards and seven common cards. The rare item was a holographic card in approximately one of every three packs. Cheaters weighed the packs for reselling the sealed packs which did not have a holographic card.
The Base Set is complete if it includes the two variants of the 58, the Pikachu with yellow cheeks and the Pikachu with red cheeks which was a printing error. On January 30, 2021, Goldin sold for $ 680K as lot 33 such a complete collection including the two 58's. Each of these 103 cards has been individually graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA.
The rarest card from the Base Set is the holo # 4 featuring Charizard, a monster inspired by the European dragon whose fighting qualities are Fire for attack and Flight for defense. Beware the Charizard : it means Charcoal Lizard, unfortunately not Charming Lizard.
The high rhythm of diversification ensures the success. Jungle added 64 cards in June 1999 and Fossil 62 cards in October of the same year. Meanwhile, in September, Wizards was acquired by Hasbro for around $ 325M.
The Pokémons have been able to multiply their species and variants so that the games are continuously relaunched and to include codes to be scanned to discover hidden games. Since 2016, Pokémon-Go designed for mobile phones has been a social phenomenon, including a few applications that compete with social networks.
2002 Blue Eyes White Dragon by Yu-Gi-Oh!
2021 SOLD for $ 580K by Goldin
Yu-Gi-Oh!, meaning King of Games, is a manga franchise started in 1996. Their trading card games featuring duel monsters were edited by Konami from 1999 in Japan and from 2002 in North America. Legend of the Blue Eyes White Dragon is the first American title, with 126 cards in the set.
A factory sealed case of the 1st edition of the Blue Eyes White Dragon has surfaced. It contains 12 boxes, with each box containing 24 packs of nine cards each.
The case was opened in the premises of Goldin by two operators from Yu-Gi-Oh! The video shared by Goldin Auctions is a great demonstrator of the process for opening such a treasure and separating and inspecting the boxes.
The case with its 12 unopened boxes was sold for $ 580K by Goldin on September 18, 2021, lot 176.
A factory sealed case of the 1st edition of the Blue Eyes White Dragon has surfaced. It contains 12 boxes, with each box containing 24 packs of nine cards each.
The case was opened in the premises of Goldin by two operators from Yu-Gi-Oh! The video shared by Goldin Auctions is a great demonstrator of the process for opening such a treasure and separating and inspecting the boxes.
The case with its 12 unopened boxes was sold for $ 580K by Goldin on September 18, 2021, lot 176.
