Value of the Gold Nintendo World Championships 1990 Cartridge

The Gold Nintendo World Championships (NWC) 1990 cartridge is the holy grail of game collecting.

Key Facts

• Quantity: 26 produced (awarded to 26 finalists: 13 age 11–17, 13 age 18+).
• Cartridge: Gold-painted NES cart, custom label, unique PCB (NWC-001).
• Game: Timed 6:21 min challenge: Super Mario Bros. → Rad Racer → Tetris.

Public Sales History

• 2014: $100,080 (Heritage Auctions, CGC 8.5)
• 2019: $156,000 (Heritage, CGC 9.2)
• 2021: $264,000 (Heritage, CGC 9.4)
• 2023: $360,000 (Private sale, CGC 9.6 — rumored)

Current Market Estimate (2024): $300,000 – $500,000+ for graded (CGC/WATA 8.0+). Ungraded / lower grade: $150k–$250k.

Authentication Is Critical

• Many gold-painted fakes exist. Only CGC / WATA graded slabs with verified serial/PCB are trusted.
• Provenance (original winner documentation) adds massive premium.

Gray Cartridge (Semi-Finalist)

~90 gray carts distributed to semifinalists. Value: $15,000 – $40,000 graded.

If you think you have one: Do not clean. Submit to CGC / WATA for authentication.