Video Game Cartridges Become Collectible Assets as Grading Standards Emerge

Third-party graders like CGC Video Games now standardize condition assessment and authenticity for vintage cartridges, much like rare coin services do. This verifiable infrastructure—condition grades, population counts, provenance documentation—enables institutional investment. The $3 million sale of a sealed 1985 Super Mario Bros. exemplifies the shift: without standards, such a purchase would rely on trust alone rather than documented proof of value.