Looking for a rare Nintendo-themed card set
MvComedy
Posts: 5 ✭
Hi, new member here. I collect non-sports cards. Right now my focus is on Nintendo-themed card sets from the 80s and 90s. I recently acquired a near-complete set of cards that was produced by Merlin in 1993 (hopefully the attached images are visible). Merlin is mostly known for sticker books that they produced throughout the 90s, but this set is cardstock rather than stickers, and as far as I can tell it was only released in the UK.
I need 18 cards to complete the set and have many extras. I occasionally see these cards on eBay but I would prefer to trade for the remaining cards I need. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a community or dealers who specialize in this sort of thing?
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just this particular set? i have all sorts nintendo cards that supersede these SNES and Game Boy cards.
Yes just this set at the moment. I've completed most of the better-known sets of Nintendo-liscensed cards. Those by Topps, the Super Power Club cards from Nintendo Power, the various promotions they did with Kellogg's and Amurol, etc. I've known about the Merlin set for quite some time but rarely saw it on the market until recently.
There are some great Japanese Nintendo sets as well. Haven’t seen this particular set though.
Yeah there are a couple of Mario-themed sets from Japan that I keep my eyes out for. Namely the Mario Land (1989) set by Banpresto and a set that Amada produced in 1996 that featured cards from Mario Bros. 3, Mario World, and Mario 64. I haven't been able to find complete sets though, and buying them in incomplete lots isn't worth it, so I keep waiting
This thread brings back memories. I remember I bought every Super Mario Bros. game for NES and played them until my fingers bled. My favorite was Super Mario Bros. 2, I loved how Luigi would stay airborn for so long, and the final boss was Wart instead of King Koopa. Great memories, good luck on finding your cards.
SMB2 is also my favorite Mario game. Funny thing about Wart, most liscensees seemed to either be unaware that he was the boss of SMB2 instead of Bowser or just didn't think he was marketable, no toy or card featuring him was ever produced in that era (at least in the west). Same with Tatanga from Mario Land. You can see in the picture at the top that a Mario Land card in this set has Bowser on it, and he was not even in that game!
MvComedy - is there a website or a list of retro video game card sets? I put together most of the Nintendo Power cards but would love to see what all is out there to collect.
There isn't a comprehensive list out there (believe me I'd know if there was). I can definitely list all the sets released in the west that I know of here. A more detailed list with individual cards might be possible and I have considered trying to create some kind of blog or database for collectors. Any suggestions on the best way to go about it?
I noticed a while back that sealed Nintendo games are actually graded by video game grading companies and slabbed just like cards. This graded copy of SM2 is on Ebay, and the asking price is $5,995. They're highly sought after by collectors, it's fascinating stuff.
They also had a game sell for over $100k. I’ve been dabbling and it’s been a lot of fun.
https://comics.ha.com/heritage-auctions-press-releases-and-news/copy-of-super-mario-bros.-video-game-sets-world-record-price-of-100-150.s?releaseId=3583
I have hundreds of swaps of these nintendo cards. message me if you're still looking for them.
Go to YouTube at some point and do a search for Karl Jobst, he created a video recently exposing some of the big players in the graded video game world. His video is pretty fascinating and is well worth the 52min watch time. The parallels to the card collecting world is pretty striking.
Edit: didn’t realize that comment was from a year ago.
Eric
Erikthredd’s MJ Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/publishedset/395035
Erikthredd’s Nike Air Jordan Collection: https://www.psacard.com/psasetregistry/basketball/key-card-sets/nike-poster-cards-michael-jordan-1985-1992/alltimeset/408486
with all the money pooring in from gamers, the 80s nostalgia coming back around and now that video grading has become a big business and mainstream thing, the 82 donkey kong set are the first cards to feature mario, who at the time was simply referred to as “jump man”. and while the game was named “donkey kong” dont forget, you were using/playing mario to defeat donkey kong and rescue the princess. they surely will become iconic at some point. its just a question of when.
and while not necessarily rare, they are extremely rare to find in solid condition. w the black borders and background coupled w the fact that they were stickers and scratch-offs, a lot of them never stood a chance. and like anything not baseball related where made in much smaller quantities in comparison. and gaming has certainly become much bigger than baseball. and its a world wide audience. i would bet that more people know of nintendos mario than babe ruth or mike trout. maybe?
i zigged from the norm during the covid boom and scooped up a bunch of high quality cards and sets. theyve been sitting at psa for a while, but the cards below are the ones that predominately feature mario. a few were in the system, but any future subs shouldnt have to wait on research and id to establish spec numbers at least. this was my first sub, but have several more behind it. best of luck!
I will look into that, I was surprised when I noticed they are grading video games, and as a matter of fact they I recently noticed that 1980s VHS movies are being graded now as well, take this sealed graded VHS copy of A Nightmare on Elm Street, asking price $74,500.