Magazines are a niche collecting category in the antiques and collectibles trade. Unlike comic books that have a wide following of collectors, most magazines are not very collectible. The CGC (Comics Guaranty Corporation) is the premier third-party grading company that caters to grading and encapsulating comic books. It has been more than a decade since CGC started to expand their grading services to include magazines, and the results have been somewhat underwhelming. Outside of a few standouts, the first issue of Playboy featuring Marilyn Monroe being one, very few magazines generate excitement on the secondary market. There is, however, an exception. Video games are a relative newcomer to the antiques and collectibles trade. Along with Pokmon cards and vintage Nike Air Jordan sneakers, vintage video games are one of the leading collectibles that is attracting a younger demographic to the trade. Thanks in part to the fact that most of the popular video games debuted in the 1980s and 1990s, the generations that grew up with these relics are now rediscovering them as adults. This is causing demand for a lot of pop culture collectibles from these decades to soar in value and demand. And when it comes to vintage video games (sorry Atari) Nintendo is the proverbial king. The original Nintendo Entertainment System (also known as the NES) debuted in North America in late 1985 after successfully premiering in Japan a few short years before. Unfortunately, the U.S. video game market at the time was dealing with a glut of low-quality games that were overproduced by numerous companies for once popular home video game systems like the Atari 2600, the Mattel Intellivision, and the Colecovision. Due to consumers tiring on these video games, retailers soured on the idea that video games could be anything more than a passing fad. Luckily, the Nintendo Entertainment System was a quantum leap above anything currently available on the home video game market, and unique and captivating games like Super Mario Brothers, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and Donkey Kong made the system stand out. Nintendo was able to convince major retailers like Sears, Toys R Us, and countless others that video games, specifically Nintendo video games, were the future and here to stay. By late 1996, it was becoming clear Nintendo had a hit on their hands and children were begging their parents to get them the new Nintendo Entertainment System for the upcoming holiday shopping season. However, few analysts in the toy industry could have predicted what would come next. Nintendo fever was in full swing, and if your house didnt have a Nintendo Entertainment System, it was on your wish list. It was at this time that Nintendo had to find new and interesting ways to engage with their core consumers. This was in an era before the internet and social media, so Nintendos primary advertising centered around television commercials and licensing deals to bring out merchandise based on their most popular video game franchises. Some of the licensed products produced during this time went on to become valuable collectibles in their own right! In 1987, Nintendo started to produce a simple but effective Nintendo Fun Club Newsletter that was sent to regular buyers of the Nintendo Entertainment System and their games. Nintendo gained this information when systems and games were sold and the would-be buyer completed and returned the attached warranty card, showing the company they were a consumer of Nintendo products. Nintendo Fun Club News lasted seven issues, and it was clear that something bigger and better needed to be created to not only showcase upcoming video games the company would be releasing, but also showcase tips and strategies for some of the most difficult games the company produced. There was growing demand for ongoing help for the growing number of players that were obsessed with Nintendos growing roster of games. Behind the scenes, Nintendo worked to create a masterpiece of sorts that would rival almost any other video game magazine that came before it. The first issue of the magazine titled Nintendo Power would premier with a publication date of July/August 1988, and lucky hardcore Nintendo fans at the time would get sent the first issue free of charge. The plan was to send the first issue out to as many fans as possible and then provide paid subscription information to entice fans to get their parents to pay for a 12-month subscription to the publication. The first issue is now iconic and featured an overview of the highly anticipated sequel to Super Mario Brothers, aptly named Super Mario Brothers 2. Many Nintendo enthusiasts around my age (40 plus) fondly remember receiving the very first issue of Nintendo Power being shipped in a discreet manila envelope. Opening that envelope was a memorable experience that is still talked about on video game collecting forums to this very day. Current generations typically cannot relate because they get their gaming news from a plethora of internet and social media-based sources. Very few individuals who were lucky to receive a copy of Nintendo Power #1 in the mail ever bothered to save the magazine in unread near mint condition. As a result, when this issue comes up for auction and if it has been graded by CGC (Comics Guaranty Corporation) in 9.4 (near mint) or above, it can be seen selling for tens of thousands of dollars to (brace yourself) close to $100,000 or more in CGC 9.8 condition! The legacy of Nintendo Power magazine and its long-lasting effect on true Nintendo enthusiasts should not be understated. After premiering in July/August of 1988, the publication gained tremendous popularity and lasted until December 2012, being discontinued with issue 285. To the Nintendo fans engaged by Nintendo Power magazine in an age before the internet, the publication served as a healthy monthly dose of excitement showcasing upcoming games and accessories that soon would grace the shelves of your favorite video game retailer. Critics at the time lamented that Nintendo Power was nothing more than a glorified advertisement for upcoming Nintendo games that parents actually paid about $20 a year for. However, every Nintendo fan at the time wanted to get their hands on the latest issue, and I fondly remember getting into fights in junior high school to protect my coveted copy. Unfortunately, the collector market hasnt been fully kind to all vintage Nintendo Power magazines. Obviously, it is the first issue that everyone wants, and condition is paramount. If you have a copy of Nintendo Power issue one and it is not in coveted near mint condition or better, dont fret. Your copy can still be worth hundreds of dollars. Just as long as it is complete with the included poster still inside. Other early issues can still have value, but the value drops significantly after the first three issues. Still, if you have any old issues of Nintendo Power magazine, they are rife with enough nostalgia that they may just be worth holding on to, because now you are collecting with power, Nintendo Power that is! Its nice to see so many items I had as a kid go on to be valuable collectibles. Getting old is an interesting journey, thats for sure! Shawn Surmick has been an avid collector since the age of 12. He currently resides in his hometown of Boyertown, Pa., and is a passionate collector of antiques and collectibles. His articles focus on various topics affecting the marketplace.