Nintendo Champ Puts Coveted Golden Mario Trophy Up For Auction
Posted by Damien McFerran
Got a spare $300,000?
Way back in 1990, Thor Aackerlund saw off all challengers to secure the Nintendo World Championships in the 12-17 category. Now, over twenty years later, he's selling his one of a kind trophy on eBay for an eye-watering $300,000.
Just in case you're thinking that figure is a little high, it should also be noted that included in the auction is the actual controller Aackerlund used to win the contest.
Still not convinced? Well allow the man himself to explain why these items are so darn collectable:
The NWC (Nintendo World Championship) contest stands easily as the largest video game contest in history, filling the largest convention halls in cities from coast to coast. It went on for 9 long months traveling the country before culminating at Universal Studios in Hollywood, California. At the finals the grand prize was a car, a TV, a savings bond, and the golden Mario statue itself. The various Nintendo World Championship memorabilia has attracted a lot of attention over the years, continually becoming more sought after as the pinnacle not just of NES collecting, but in the entire game collecting and media communities.
The gold Mario itself is the rarest and highest-profile of the NWC collectibles. There were a little over two dozen Gold NWC carts given away through the random Nintendo Power drawing. Perhaps half of the NWC grey carts, of which 90 were given away, have surfaced over the years. Of the Mario statues, there are three second-place silver ones for the runner-ups in three age categories, and three gold, one for each of the three age categories. I won the final run-off with the 11-and-under and 18-and-up winners and can hold the 12-17 gold overall trophy as the highest award in any organized game contest. None of the other Mario trophies have surfaced, and the grand prize trophy itself is definitely one of a kind.
#1
CerealKiller528 said:
Too bad I'm poor
#2
a_binfahad said:
"Oh my goodness, Oh my Damn!"
#3
TheN64Dude said:
This should have been our reward for 1,000,000,000 coins in NSMB2 not some stupid title screen!!!
#4
MrWalkieTalkie said:
Wait, why is he selling it though?
#5
wing0black said:
that trophy looks like it was made out of clay in someone's garage, then spraypainted gold. That being said, I'd still buy it if I had 300 grand.
#6
MrWalkieTalkie said:
@NinRyan XD
#7
TeeJay said:
@TheN64Dude But...a gold Mario statue IS our one million coin reward!
#8
citizenerased said:
If that's not the ugliest Mario statue I've ever seen, I don't know what is.
#9
LordJumpMad said:
Thats one ugly Mario, I wouldn't want that in my house, It look like a 5 year old made it
#10
Raghav said:
REALLY!
#11
RevolverLink said:
I think the real story here is that this guy's name is Thor.
#12
NTELLIGENTMAN said:
Why is Mario wearing oven mitts?
#13
GeminiSaint said:
Ugh, poor Mario. He doesn't look very good there. That face is the stuff of nightmares. Maybe he got microwaved too?
#14
DkFluttershyGuy said:
That Mario statue looks more like a gold garden gnome!
#15
Happy_Mask said:
Eeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwww... 90's. Just look at the announcers belt!
#16
Robo-goose said:
That's a lot of dollars. Hm... This statue, or a decent house...
#17
Wheels2050 said:
Wow, that'd be a nice piece of VG history for someone with the cash!
I don't know I'd be able to part with it if I was him, but I guess $300,000 could make me think pretty hard about it...
#18
Burning_Spear said:
That kid in the picture is my garbage man!!!
#19
Neram said:
is Mario wearing a Golfing hat?
#20
MeWario said:
Umm that's freken awesome but no way near worth 300,000 dollars. I would way rather an issue of Amazing Fantasy #15 or you know, A HOUSE! It's just a trophy won by somebody I still couldn't name, even after reading this article =P
#21
bezerker99 said:
Thor, Son of Odin, thou chargest too much for thine treasure.
#22
WiiLovePeace said:
Hmmmm... Let me just get out my checkbook... Hmmmm... Will an I.O.U. note do?
#23
sainrub said:
This was a cool article, I enjoyed the vid as well.
#24
SnackBox said:
I don't even get this. Did he play and win loads of games to get it? Or is that high score for super mario world?
#25
zezhyrule said:
P4G Solid Gold Edition is cheaper. And it's not ugly.
#26
StarDust said:
My local Game-X-Chane is trying to sell a huge Mario statute for $300. Add a can of gold spraypaint from Lowes or Home Depot, and you're looking at a total investment of $305 +tax instead of $300 grand.
#27
undead_terror said:
poor, poor deformed mario, he wants someone to put him out of his misery, but a nice piece of gaming history.
#28
Alienfish said:
@TheN64Dude Thanks for the spoiler. You know not all of us have reached that mark yet and I was really looking forward to finding out for myself.
#29
Taplamp said:
Dat Mario statue be lookin' like a turd yo...
#30
ogo79 said:
i wouldnt get rid of it
#31
Zaphod_Beeblebrox said:
Just to echo what other people have already said...that is a hideous trophy. And I need an NES controller like I need another hole in my head.
#32
StarDust said:
Do people realize that this trophy is literally the holy grail of video game memorabilia? It's like if Muhammad Ali's heavywieght boxing world championship belt were up for auction, geeze...
That said, I hope Thor enjoys his new house
Actually, financing this item would be easy. I can pick up 100 Grand in chocolate bullion at a convenience store for a buck. Pick up three of these coveted bars and exchange them for 300 Grand in gold bullion, then cash it in for a single gold Mario, easy money. Or, I could just eat the 100 Grad bars instead!
#33
Samholy said:
it looks ugly at best. they really screwed the mario statue. look at the hands !!!
my 7 y.o daughter could have done better !
anyway...dont waste your precious money on this
give it to me instead, ill start a small company and give employment to people.
#34
Tsuchiya said:
That's the worst looking statue I've ever seen... vomits
#35
dustin_g said:
he should ask for a million
#36
Tasuki said:
Does anyone know why hes selling it? If it was me I would never sell something like that. I still have baseball and soccer trophies not to mention two medals I won in some martial arts tournaments. I dont know maybe I am odd like that.
#37
ZZlightning said:
i can hear my brother now... "mom, can we sell the house?"
#38
grimbldoo said:
@Alienfish #32
It happens. I don't think that he even thought about that when he posted.
#39
XCWarrior said:
I know I have $300,000 stuffed in one of my pants' pockets. Now which one is it...
#40
AntiGuy said:
...kill it with fire
#41
ZZlightning said:
it's butt ugly though.