Rare 97 Sealed NES Cartridges Discovered in Wisconsin Shop

A Wisconsin retro shop owner stumbled upon a hidden trove of 97 sealed Nintendo Entertainment System cartridges in his storage room. This discovery matters because it reveals a never-before-seen production variant of two of the system’s most iconic titles. The discovery of these sealed cartridges offers collectors and historians new insights into the final stages of Nintendo Entertainment System production.

Never-before-seen 1993 production batch includes five perfect PSA 10 units

The stash contains untouched copies of Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros. produced during the 40th week of 1993. These cartridges represent some of the final units manufactured for the classic console. The specific production window suggests they may have been intended as warranty replacements, refurbished parts, or components for a bundle that never reached the market.

Authentication efforts have yielded impressive results from PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator). The grading service assigned scores ranging from 9.6 to 10 to the examined units. Five of the cartridges achieved the coveted perfect 10 grade, while others landed at 9.6 or higher. A unique identifier for this batch is the manual text, which reads “maintenance or service” instead of the standard “maintenance or repair” found on earlier versions.

Goldin Auctions will handle the sale of three selected cartridges from this collection. The auction begins on August 12 in the United States. Industry estimates suggest the value of these items will range from four to five digits in US dollars. The perfect 10 graded units are expected to command prices in the higher end of that five-digit spectrum.

The cartridges, produced in the 40th week of 1993, provide documented evidence of late-stage manufacturing activity. The unique manual text reading ‘maintenance or service’ and the specific 1993 production week provide new details for researchers. Goldin Auctions will sell three of these cartridges starting August 12, with estimated values ranging from four to five digits.