Incredibly Rare Nintendo Console Could Be The Most Expensive Ever Sold

While many classic Nintendo consoles are known for fetching decent prices among collectors, the most recent one to hit the market may end up being the most expensive ever sold at auction. The world of video game collecting has exploded in recent years as rare games and consoles have become notorious for their impressive prices when sold to the right bidder. Original copies of NES classics like and have been known to be especially valuable, but an early build of a popular console may be even more lucrative for the seller.

Per GamesRadar+, Yahoo Japan recently opened a listing for a prototype version of the Super Famicom console, which is known in the West as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). At the time of writing,the device is sitting with a price tag of ¥1,301,000, which converts to just under $8,500, and given that the auction will close on May 12, there's a good chance that number increases. The seller notes that while it looks similar to the retail version of the Super Famicom, there are some key differences to indicate its status as a prototype.

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Some of the more noticeable differences between this early version of the Super Famicom, which was produced years before the official iteration hit shelves in 1991, included a red power button, a differently shaped cartridge slot, and the inclusion of a headphone jack with a volume dial. Why these features were ultimately scrapped for the version that went to market remains unknown, but it's a fun peek into the past for collectors of retro technology. To make the item even more desirable, it also includes an official Nintendo development sticker on its rear.

The industry for retro video game collecting has exploded in recent years as original copies of older games and consoles can fetch thousands of dollars at auction. It's incredibly rare to see prototype hardware