Ultrarare Nintendo Mario game cartridges discovered in Wisconsin

In a surprising discovery, 97 pristine copies of an ultrarare Nintendo game have been unearthed in Wisconsin, according to a report by Nintendo Wire. The cartridges, which belong to Super Mario Brothers Duck Hunt, were first brought to the attention of Nintendo game collector Jason Ganos by a pop culture store owner in Wisconsin.

Ganos, a well-known Nintendo enthusiast with a passion for the company's history, was stunned by the find. The cartridges, which had been sitting in storage for years, turned out to be a new variant of the game and the last known production date of it. Most of the cartridges will be sold in an online auction that runs until September 9.

Ganos, who has operated Nintendo Wire for over a decade, described the discovery as "serendipitous" and "very bizarre." He immediately recognized the significance of the find, calling them "like pulling out like a Holy Grail." The cartridges, which are in absolutely pristine condition, could be worth hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars.

Ganos and the store owner, Kevin Braun, who initially offered the cartridges for sale, plan to auction off three of the perfect 10 scored cartridges at Golden Pop's Culture Auction. They are keeping one copy with a perfect score and a few others rated in the higher 9s. The games can be played if the buyer wishes, but Ganos hopes to keep them in their pristine condition.