Games
See also : Jaquet-Droz
The Warrior of the North
2019 SOLD for £ 730K including premium
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 in London, Sotheby's sells 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This piece is unpublished.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 in London, Sotheby's sells 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 The Ace of Batons and the Knave of Swords
2010 SOLD 555 K$ including premium
PRE SALE DISCUSSION
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 for sale at Christie's in New York on October 19 is exceptional because it is complete, but it has an even more unusual feature: it is made in engraved and parcel-gilt silver.
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 for sale by Christie's 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.
It is estimated $ 150K.
POST SALE COMMENT
The result, $ 555K including premium, is a recognition of the exceptional rarity of such a lot, especially as a complete set.
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 for sale at Christie's in New York on October 19 is exceptional because it is complete, but it has an even more unusual feature: it is made in engraved and parcel-gilt silver.
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 for sale by Christie's 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.
It is estimated $ 150K.
POST SALE COMMENT
The result, $ 555K including premium, is a recognition of the exceptional rarity of such a lot, especially as a complete set.
1808 A Jewelled Domino Box
2017 SOLD for CHF 415K including premium
On May 15 in Geneva, Christie's sells a luxurious musical and domino box, lot 127 estimated CHF 300K.
This 18 karat gold box is decorated with enamels and pearls including the four seasons displayed by facetious cupids. It is accompanied by its original complete set of 28 dominos also in 18K gold with the face in royal blue enamel, the dots in fine pearls and the back in scarlet enamel.
The case is signed MB et C. Born in Geneva, Jean-François Bautte enjoyed an exceptional career in the luxury craft. He had begun as an apprentice trained as a case fitter, goldsmith, watchmaker, jeweller and guilloché maker. After creating his first models he joined forces with two businessmen, Moulinié in 1793 and Moynier in 1804.
Their business was named Moulinié, Bautte et Compagnie abbreviated as MB et C in 1804, becoming Moulinié, Bautte et Moynier in 1808. This development of the brand allows the dating of the domino box in this short intermediate period and is consistent with an inscription dated 1808 on the musical mechanism.
The exceptional provenance of this unique box is marked by two old auctions.
In 1834 it is offered in the deceased estate sale of Thomas Weeks who had held in London an important museum of curiosities. It is probable that the box had not met a customer in the Chinese import market in recession since the death of the Qianlong emperor and had joined in London the collections of pieces manufactured by Cox and Maillardet.
The name of its winning bidder at the Weeks sale is Russell. The correlation with the future Duchess of Bedford, who will soon be a confidante of Queen Victoria, is seductive.
The box returns to auction at Christie's in 1974, sold by a direct descendant of Queen Victoria. The domino plays of the young queen with prince consort Albert are documented in her own diaries. It seems highly probable that the Geneva box had belonged to Her Majesty.
Please watch the video shared by Christie's :
This 18 karat gold box is decorated with enamels and pearls including the four seasons displayed by facetious cupids. It is accompanied by its original complete set of 28 dominos also in 18K gold with the face in royal blue enamel, the dots in fine pearls and the back in scarlet enamel.
The case is signed MB et C. Born in Geneva, Jean-François Bautte enjoyed an exceptional career in the luxury craft. He had begun as an apprentice trained as a case fitter, goldsmith, watchmaker, jeweller and guilloché maker. After creating his first models he joined forces with two businessmen, Moulinié in 1793 and Moynier in 1804.
Their business was named Moulinié, Bautte et Compagnie abbreviated as MB et C in 1804, becoming Moulinié, Bautte et Moynier in 1808. This development of the brand allows the dating of the domino box in this short intermediate period and is consistent with an inscription dated 1808 on the musical mechanism.
The exceptional provenance of this unique box is marked by two old auctions.
In 1834 it is offered in the deceased estate sale of Thomas Weeks who had held in London an important museum of curiosities. It is probable that the box had not met a customer in the Chinese import market in recession since the death of the Qianlong emperor and had joined in London the collections of pieces manufactured by Cox and Maillardet.
The name of its winning bidder at the Weeks sale is Russell. The correlation with the future Duchess of Bedford, who will soon be a confidante of Queen Victoria, is seductive.
The box returns to auction at Christie's in 1974, sold by a direct descendant of Queen Victoria. The domino plays of the young queen with prince consort Albert are documented in her own diaries. It seems highly probable that the Geneva box had belonged to Her Majesty.
Please watch the video shared by Christie's :
#Exceptionnel : jeu de dominos en or, émail et perles dans une boîte à musique ayant appartenu à la #ReineVictoria https://t.co/mhbedzsif0 pic.twitter.com/yHz10hkpVa
— Christie's Paris (@christiesparis) April 20, 2017
1985 Super Mario Bros by Nintendo
2021 SOLD for $ 660K including premium
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.
On July 10, 2020 Heritage sold for $ 114K including premium 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 including premium for a piece from the same variant in 8.0 A grade.
On April 2, 2021 in Dallas, Heritage sells a sealed 1-Code Super Mario Bros with the hangtab, graded 9.6 A+ by Wata, lot 93028. Two weeks before closing, the prices above are by far exceeded.
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.
On July 10, 2020 Heritage sold for $ 114K including premium 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 including premium for a piece from the same variant in 8.0 A grade.
On April 2, 2021 in Dallas, Heritage sells a sealed 1-Code Super Mario Bros with the hangtab, graded 9.6 A+ by Wata, lot 93028. Two weeks before closing, the prices above are by far exceeded.
1992 The Giants of the Game
2020 SOLD for $ 360K including premium
Nintendo is a pioneer in video games. In the mid-1980s, technologies were progressing by leaps and bounds. Erasable floppy disks will soon be out of date. Interested in the CD-ROM, Nintendo approaches Sony in 1988. Sony develops the adaptation of a CD-ROM drive on the Nintendo SNES game console under the name of SNES-CD. In this cooperation phase, Sony equips the Super Nintendo console with a sound processor.
In June 1991 Sony plans to unveil the SNES-CD. Caught up in speed by Sony and worried about the future distribution of operating rights, Nintendo immediately breaks the contract and approaches Philips. Sony, which until then had not revealed any intention to enter the game market, immediately announces its new brand PlayStation, which Nintendo fails to oppose despite an action at the federal court of the United States.
In 1992 Sony builds 200 prototypes of the adaptation of the CD-ROM and the audio player on Nintendo consoles, envisaging at that time a new cooperation with Nintendo which obviously did not succeed. These prototypes are destroyed.
One of the 200 prototypes had been put aside and then forgotten by a manager of the US division of Sony. This console has resurfaced. Analysed in full details and put back into operation by Ben Heck, this unique survivor reveals the details of the adaptation prepared in 1992 by Sony. Definitely convinced of the future of gaming, Sony releases the PlayStation in 1994.
The 1992 console is marked Sony and PlayStation, without identification of Nintendo. It is the oldest game console equipped with a CD-ROM drive, but Sony did not have the time to develop games for it in this technology. The audio system includes a switch for playing an audio CD instead of the sound of the game in progress.
The owner of this prototype had acquired it for $ 75 in the bankruptcy auction of a company to which the former Sony executive had belonged. After the rework by Heck, he used it on demonstration tours. This business was not profitable. The console will be sold by Heritage in Dallas on March 6, lot 93060. Three weeks before the sale, the auction record in the video game category is already far exceeded. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Nintendo's cooperation with Philips failed for technical reasons. The first Nintendo console with an optical disc drive will not be released until 2001. In 2004 Sony announces that it has sold 100 million consoles and 962 million games in ten years.
In June 1991 Sony plans to unveil the SNES-CD. Caught up in speed by Sony and worried about the future distribution of operating rights, Nintendo immediately breaks the contract and approaches Philips. Sony, which until then had not revealed any intention to enter the game market, immediately announces its new brand PlayStation, which Nintendo fails to oppose despite an action at the federal court of the United States.
In 1992 Sony builds 200 prototypes of the adaptation of the CD-ROM and the audio player on Nintendo consoles, envisaging at that time a new cooperation with Nintendo which obviously did not succeed. These prototypes are destroyed.
One of the 200 prototypes had been put aside and then forgotten by a manager of the US division of Sony. This console has resurfaced. Analysed in full details and put back into operation by Ben Heck, this unique survivor reveals the details of the adaptation prepared in 1992 by Sony. Definitely convinced of the future of gaming, Sony releases the PlayStation in 1994.
The 1992 console is marked Sony and PlayStation, without identification of Nintendo. It is the oldest game console equipped with a CD-ROM drive, but Sony did not have the time to develop games for it in this technology. The audio system includes a switch for playing an audio CD instead of the sound of the game in progress.
The owner of this prototype had acquired it for $ 75 in the bankruptcy auction of a company to which the former Sony executive had belonged. After the rework by Heck, he used it on demonstration tours. This business was not profitable. The console will be sold by Heritage in Dallas on March 6, lot 93060. Three weeks before the sale, the auction record in the video game category is already far exceeded. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Nintendo's cooperation with Philips failed for technical reasons. The first Nintendo console with an optical disc drive will not be released until 2001. In 2004 Sony announces that it has sold 100 million consoles and 962 million games in ten years.
1997 Japanese Charizard
2021 SOLD for $ 490K including premium by Goldin
narrated post sale
The Pocket Monsters (aka Pokémon) video game, created by Nintendo in 1995, is a great success and derivative products are starting to appear. The first trading 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.
A Charizard Topsun card with blue back, graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA, was sold for $ 490K including premium by Goldin on January 30, 2021, lot 195.
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.
A Charizard Topsun card with blue back, graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA, was sold for $ 490K including premium by Goldin on January 30, 2021, lot 195.
1998 Blastoise Presentation Card
2021 SOLD for $ 360K including premium by Heritage
narrated post sale
In November 1996, nine months after the launch of the video game, Nintendo publishes the first Pokémon trading cards, for promotional purposes. This first Japanese version is edited by Media Factory.
The Pokémon craze quickly reaches the rest of the world. In 1998 Wizards of the Game manages to obtain the franchise from Nintendo for the edition of Pokémon cards in the United States.
To demonstrate the feasibility to Nintendo, two cards are prepared in English by Cartamundi with the image printed on holofoil on a Galaxy Star pattern background and a blank back. The creature chosen for this presentation is Blastoise, the turtoise that blasts jets of water, from a drawing by Ken Sugimori, the graphic designer of the monsters.
One of the two copies is lost. The sole survivor, graded NM/Mint+ 8.5 by CGC, was sold for $ 360K including premium by Heritage on January 14, 2021, lot 92130. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Nintendo is convinced and Wizards of the Game begins to publish the Pokémon cards in English in 1999. The terrible Blastoise occupies a prominent place in the Base Set, at number 2/102. It is illustrated by another Ken Sugimori image, with a more martial attitude.
The Pokémon craze quickly reaches the rest of the world. In 1998 Wizards of the Game manages to obtain the franchise from Nintendo for the edition of Pokémon cards in the United States.
To demonstrate the feasibility to Nintendo, two cards are prepared in English by Cartamundi with the image printed on holofoil on a Galaxy Star pattern background and a blank back. The creature chosen for this presentation is Blastoise, the turtoise that blasts jets of water, from a drawing by Ken Sugimori, the graphic designer of the monsters.
One of the two copies is lost. The sole survivor, graded NM/Mint+ 8.5 by CGC, was sold for $ 360K including premium by Heritage on January 14, 2021, lot 92130. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Nintendo is convinced and Wizards of the Game begins to publish the Pokémon cards in English in 1999. The terrible Blastoise occupies a prominent place in the Base Set, at number 2/102. It is illustrated by another Ken Sugimori image, with a more martial attitude.
1999 Alakazam and Co
2021 SOLD for $ 680K including premium
The Pokémon 1st Edition Gaming Card Base Set, published in 1999 by Wizards of the Coast, is complete if it is made up of cards 1 to 102 including the two variants of the 58, the Pikachu with yellow cheeks and the Pikachu with red cheeks which was a printing error.
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.
Goldin sells as lot 33 in an online auction closing on January 30 a complete collection including the two 58's. Each of these 103 cards has been individually graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA.
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.
Goldin sells as lot 33 in an online auction closing on January 30 a complete collection including the two 58's. Each of these 103 cards has been individually graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA.
1999 Pokémon Base Set Sealed Box
2021 SOLD for $ 410K including premium by Heritage
Link to catalogue.
1999 Charizard
2021 SOLD for $ 400K including premium by Goldin
Link to catalogue.
1999 A Charming Lizard
2020 SOLD for $ 370K including premium
The Pokémons (Pocket Monsters) appear in 1998 in video games and in 1999 in the form of trading cards. They constitute a complex universe that perfectly matches the desires of the Millennials. The monsters are changed by mutations over the years.
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.
The Pokémon cards are edited in regular series and in exceptional cards which are reserved for the winners of a game. In 1999 the first set of regular cards included 103 species. The rarest is # 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 lot 1 in an online auction by Goldin closing on December 12, is a Charizard in superb condition, the only example graded Gold Label Pristine 10 by SGC. At the top of the SGC grading system and better than Gem 10, a Pristine 10 is 50/50 centered with no visible wear under magnification.
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.
The Pokémon cards are edited in regular series and in exceptional cards which are reserved for the winners of a game. In 1999 the first set of regular cards included 103 species. The rarest is # 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 lot 1 in an online auction by Goldin closing on December 12, is a Charizard in superb condition, the only example graded Gold Label Pristine 10 by SGC. At the top of the SGC grading system and better than Gem 10, a Pristine 10 is 50/50 centered with no visible wear under magnification.
1999 Gotta Catch the Sealed Box
2020 SOLD for $ 360K including premium
Young people expected new games to be compatible with electronic techniques in all their diversity. Invented in Japan in 1995, Pokémon made it. Trading cards are just one part of their global success. The Pokémons have been able to multiply their species 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.
Wizards of the Coast, created in 1990 in the suburbs of Seattle, already 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 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. 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.
Cards are sold in packs of 11, and their wholesale is made in sealed boxes containing 36 packs, for a total content of 396 cards which cannot be known in advance. The boxes of the first three sets include a motto encouraging the frenzy, Gotta Catch 'em all, and a deceptively elitist indication, 1st Edition Limited Printing. In real life, the edition was so few limited that it clogged the production of card printers.
The hunt for monsters of the first generations has left the realm of gaming to reach collectors. They love the boxes that have remained sealed in their factory shrinkwrap, in which the mystery cards have never been handled.
On November 19 in Dallas, Heritage is selling a sealed box of each of the first three sets. Twelve days before the sale, the Base Set at lot 92312 already highly exceeds the $ 198K including premium recorded by the same auction house two months ago. The Jungle is at lot 92314 and the Fossil at lot 92315.
RESULTS INCLUDING PREMIUM
Base SOLD for $ 360K
Jungle SOLD for $ 29K
Fossil SOLD for $ 18K
Wizards of the Coast, created in 1990 in the suburbs of Seattle, already 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 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. 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.
Cards are sold in packs of 11, and their wholesale is made in sealed boxes containing 36 packs, for a total content of 396 cards which cannot be known in advance. The boxes of the first three sets include a motto encouraging the frenzy, Gotta Catch 'em all, and a deceptively elitist indication, 1st Edition Limited Printing. In real life, the edition was so few limited that it clogged the production of card printers.
The hunt for monsters of the first generations has left the realm of gaming to reach collectors. They love the boxes that have remained sealed in their factory shrinkwrap, in which the mystery cards have never been handled.
On November 19 in Dallas, Heritage is selling a sealed box of each of the first three sets. Twelve days before the sale, the Base Set at lot 92312 already highly exceeds the $ 198K including premium recorded by the same auction house two months ago. The Jungle is at lot 92314 and the Fossil at lot 92315.
RESULTS INCLUDING PREMIUM
Base SOLD for $ 360K
Jungle SOLD for $ 29K
Fossil SOLD for $ 18K
