Marketing gimmicks in the antiques and collectibles trade are nothing new. They have been a mainstay in the trade since the 1980s when popular modern-era collectible manufacturers figured out that they could easily bilk extra dollars out of consumers and collectors just by releasing limited-edition trinkets celebrating some arbitrary anniversary or event. The limited-edition holiday Barbie is a perfect example. Since that time, companies that produce items of a collectible nature have learned that the amount of money these marketing gimmicks create can add a lot of zeroes to the all-important bottom line. Would you believe that at present time everyone from video game companies to collectible card game companies are creating some kind of limited-edition product? Sometime in the year 2020, the Nintendo Super Mario Bros. video game franchise turned 35 years old. As a fan of vintage video games and a true Nintendo enthusiast at heart, I still have no idea what is so special about Super Mario Bros. turning 35. Does anyone really think Super Mario Bros. wont be around to see a 40th anniversary or even a 50th anniversary? Super Mario Bros. is one of Nintendos most popular video game franchises of all time, and upon the original games release back in 1985, it ushered in a new world of home video games and cemented Nintendo as one of the worlds most profitable companies. Since that time, dozens of new Super Mario Bros. games have debuted in some form on almost every Nintendo video game console ever released. When one looks at it from this standpoint, does a 35th anniversary really sound that historic? This is not a tale of two star-crossed lovers who went through mass strife and conflict and defied the odds to stay together for all this time. It is a very popular video game series, and, as such, 35 years means very little in the grand scheme of things as long as the franchise continues to generate profit for a company like Nintendo. Nintendo, of course, had no problem milking its beloved franchise with limited-edition video games and trinkets that the collecting public gobbled up almost like Pac-Man himself. Unfortunately for Pac-Man, his 40th anniversary was also celebrated in the year 2020 and was a much smaller affair than that of Super Mario Bros. Apparently, Pac-Man just isnt the cash cow it used be in the early 1980s. Even collectible card games are not immune to this growing trend. In 2018, Magic: The Gathering celebrated its 25th anniversary with a special release of Masters 25. Masters 25 was a special edition of a Magic: The Gathering collectible card game box set that featured infamous cards reprinted that showcased the previous 25 years of its diverse history. Unfortunately for most players, that didnt mean much because many of the best cards produced when that card game first premiered in 1993 are on the coveted reserved list and per the manufacturers own policy cannot be reprinted ever again. This was a controversial move that was done back in the 1990s to preserve the secondary market value of some of these coveted cards. That doesnt sound like that much of a celebrated anniversary when you cant even reprint some of the most iconic cards in your own product line, now does it? Fast forward back to present day, and Nintendo is getting ready to celebrate 25 years of Pokemon! Thats right, those adorable and sometimes annoying pocket monsters that you either love or hate are turning 25 in 2021. And this is just in time for Nintendos own Legend of Zelda video game series to turn 35 years this year as well. Does anyone really think that Pokemon and The Legend of Zelda are going away any time soon? Nope, I assure you we will be celebrating the 40th and 50th anniversary of those franchises as well. To be fair to my critics, yes some of these limited-edition items will make neat and cool collectibles and some will have some secondary market value as well. However, it should be noted that any value is coming from the manufacturer limiting the quantity of the products it produces, and it is not coming from any true organic collectability. Resellers love limited-edition products with manufactured demand as they prove to be very profitable over the short term. This is the same concept that propelled Beanie Babies to new heights when they premiered in the 1990s. So whether it is an anniversary of Star Wars, or G.I. Joe, or a Nintendo franchise or even Magic: The Gathering, collectors need to learn that just because it is a limited-edition collectible made by a popular company does not mean it will be a good investment long-term. If you want proof, simply go back and look at all the limited- and special-edition Barbie dolls that were created in the 1990s and chart their value and investment return through to present day. Sophisticated investors would be very disappointed with the gains. The most money was made over the short term by flipping these ridiculous trinkets into the secondary market as soon as a profit could be made. Organic demand and collectability matter much more than artificial or manufactured scarcity. Collectible manufacturers learned this trick all too well and know that the average collector is emotionally driven to buy and hoard these items. I have always said that there is little difference between a collector and speculator, but there are major differences between an investor and a collector. It would appear that in the year 2021 we are seeing a return of the speculator crowd to the mass-produced collectibles marketplace. I predict the next 10 to 20 years will create a lot of financial disappointment for some of these folks who are incorrectly thinking that a lot of these items will make good long-term investments. And, as I have said many times before, proven antiques and collectibles that have stood the test of time are where your dollars should go. Im sure this discussion will be revisited again soon, as in just another five years Super Mario Bros. turns 40. I can already imagine what gimmicks Nintendo is cooking up. Now excuse me while I go visit the Mushroom Kingdom once again, as I am feeling nostalgic for a game of Super Mario Bros. Thanks, Nintendo! 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.