97 untouched Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros. cartridges worth thousands discovered in retro shop storage room — never-before-seen version of popular NES games include five perfect 10 PSA items

A retired shop proprietor in Waukesha, Wisconsin, stumbled upon a stash of NES cartridges in his storage room, consisting of untouched versions of Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros. These rare games, which never made it to market, were reportedly sourced directly from Nintendo of America, as confirmed by PSA, a professional sports authenticator. The cartridges received highly favorable grades, ranging from 9.6 to an impeccable 10, with five of the items achieving the perfect score.

Kevin Braun, the owner of OneStopWonders, had acquired the cartridges years ago, believing they were destined for recycling. It wasn't until his friend and EIC of Nintendo Wire, Jason Ganos, examined the items that he realized the significance of the find. Ganos shared the discovery on a high-end gaming Facebook group, prompting interest from grading companies.

Subsequently, the cartridges underwent a thorough inspection, revealing their extraordinary condition and the fact that their manuals bore the phrase "maintenance or service," unlike the usual "maintenance or repair" wording.

These cartridges were manufactured as replacements for warranty repairs, refurbished consoles, or as part of an unreleased bundle. The origin of the cartridges remains unclear, pending Nintendo of America's confirmation. For avid collectors or those seeking an original Nintendo game, three cartridges will be auctioned off by Goldin Auctions beginning August 12.

The estimated value of these items is likely in the thousands, with perfect 10s potentially surpassing five digits. Given the rarity and condition of these items, collectors with a substantial budget of at least $100,000 may have a chance to acquire one of these coveted collectibles.