In a world where physical video games are becoming increasingly harder to find due to the perpetual digitization of media, collectors are still drawn to tangible, rare, and sealed items. Recently, a 22-year-old Californian named Kiro stumbled upon a sealed copy of the iconic 1987 game, The Legend of Zelda, which he almost sold for a mere $17,000 before getting it professionally appraised. Little did he know, this vintage game, which had been in his family since 1987 when it was purchased for $29.87, was a rare gem that could fetch a significantly higher price in today’s market.
According to a report by CNBC, after listing the sealed NES game on eBay for $17,000, Kiro received multiple offers within minutes, with one person even offering $30,000 in cash on the spot. Realizing the value of his find, Kiro pulled the listing and embarked on a journey to have the game professionally graded and ultimately auctioned by the prestigious Heritage Auctions. With experts confirming that this copy of The Legend of Zelda is from the game’s first production run, making it exceedingly rare, Kiro’s game is set to headline the Video Games Signature Auction on February 23-24.
The potential value of Kiro’s vintage Zelda game is staggering, with similar items fetching upwards of $870,000 in previous auctions. Kiro, wise beyond his years, has already planned to invest the proceeds from the sale into building long-term wealth for himself and his family, demonstrating a level of financial responsibility that belies his youth. As the auction date approaches, the anticipation for the final price tag of this ultra-rare game continues to build, cementing Kiro’s accidental discovery as a potentially life-changing windfall.