One hundred, eighty-three dollars and forty-eight cents.
That is the current commanding price on an eBay auction for the box (yes, just the box) of Parker Brothers never-released NES game, New Kids on the Block: Official Video Game. From the looks of it, this meager piece of cardboard is in pretty awful condition too.
I mean, maybe if it was better shape and came packed with a concert towel from 1990 soaked in Donnie’s stale sweat, then I could begin to understand just what makes this box so awesome. But as it stands, this is baffling even to someone who knows what to expect from these kinds of auctions.
Here’s a well-known secret among video game aficionados: rare games and memorabilia are worth an absolute mint on eBay. For example, check out this recent auction for a Donkey Kong Country Competition Cartridge used by Blockbuster during their second Video Game Championship. And while the game is somewhat rare, there’s still remains quite a number of copies in circulation today. (I even have one from back when I won the contest at my local Blockbuster. 10 and 3/4-year old me felt pretty spiffy about it too.)
But even by those standards, this auction is out there on another strata of insanity. The buyer really is just getting a box – one with pleasing black velcro on the back, but nonetheless, a box.
At least the eventual “winner” can rest easy knowing his prized box is legitimate and not just any old piece of cardboard featuring his or her beloved New Kids – the origin is purportedly the wife of an ex-video game magazine editor, and someone who commonly came across promotional boxes for unreleased or soon-to-be released games.
And so here we are – over 4 days left and you can bet I’ll be keeping tabs on the remainder of the auction. Tune in for more tomorrow.
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