In the effort to be as transparent as possible, it should be noted that I am not a huge sports fan. Regular readers of this column have commented that I do not discuss the sports memorabilia market as often as I should. I fully admit that is usually on purpose, as generally there is something else in the overall antiques and collectibles trade I would much rather write about. However, every once in a while, I am pulled into this market due to the announcement of a record-breaking sale or just because it helps convey a fundamental point about how markets in the trade can and do change. In this instance, I will admit my reason is the former and not the latter. Sadly, on Dec. 28, 2021, football personality and sports legend John Madden died at the age of 85. Given his age, the news should not have been that alarming. Still, anyone who remembers John Madden knows he had a larger than life personality. I actually enjoyed his appearance in all those hardware store commercials he once appeared in (like I said, I am not a sports fan). The announcement of John Maddens death had a neutral effect on me, but I can imagine that for fans everywhere who loved his lifes work, it greatly affected them. A month after John Maddens death, on Jan. 28, 2022, Heritage Auctions hosted its January 2022 Video Games Signature Auction. These auctions draw in a lot of collectors and also more than a few starry-eyed speculators who will pay top dollar to acquire the latest and greatest collectible video games. Most of these items are factory-sealed vintage video games graded by WATA Games. I have written extensively about the insanity of prices that are occurring in this market at present. It was during this sale that a factory-sealed and graded copy of a John Madden Football came up for bid. If you dont know the story of John Madden Football, it is an immensely popular series of video games that were first released on home computer systems and then made their way to home video game consoles. The first edition of John Madden for home video game consoles was released on the Sega Genesis in 1990 by Electronic Arts, and it came packaged in a cardboard box. This is important to note because Sega Genesis video games were known for being very well packaged inside hard and sturdy plastic clamshell cases. The plastic clamshell case offered superior protection for the actual video game cartridge and instruction manual. These hard plastic cases also usually stand up better over time when compared to cardboard boxes. Very few Sega Genesis games were released in cardboard, and most were released in this format by either third party companies at the beginning of the consoles life cycle or by Sega toward the end of the consoles life cycle. Low and behold, Heritage Auctions featured an original, factory-sealed John Madden game in this auction, and it was the original Sega Genesis version that came packaged in a cardboard box. The game was graded by WATA Games and was awarded a 9.2 (near mint minus) condition rating with an A+ factory seal. When I first saw the game listed in the auction, I thought nothing of it, but the thought of it at least reaching tens of thousands of dollars to me was not mind boggling. After all, vintage and factory-sealed graded video games are in a massive speculative bubble right now. After the auction ended I was reviewing some of the ending prices and decided to check on this particular game. The final bid almost knocked me out of my chair. This particular factory-sealed game, released in 1990 no less, sold in 9.2 condition for $480,00,, which includes the buyers premium that Heritage Auctions charges. Words could not describe my reaction and Ill leave out some of the four-letter expletives that came out of my mouth to spare my editor. Looking back on the sale, I should not be that surprised. First, John Madden Football can be considered an iconic video game franchise. And while it does not rank up with Super Mario Bros. or The Legend of Zelda, in my opinion, I do know that some fans would disagree. Second, the death of John Madden could have easily caused some starry-eyed fan boy with the means to buy something like this to make a move out of emotion. This is why I often caution against collectors buying any form of memorabilia after a celebrity, athlete, entertainer, or artist dies (prices are usually inflated). Lastly, I will admit that the chances of finding a factory-sealed case of original John Madden Football games for the Sega Genesis lying around are slim to none compared to some of the other video games that have soared past the mid- to high six figure range. Still, is this game really worth $480,000, especially in 9.2 graded condition? Anyone who understands the collectibles market is obviously wise to know that something is amiss in the market for factory-sealed and graded video games (spoiler alert: market manipulation). It should also be noted that the first version of John Madden Football was not released on a home video game console. It was released originally for home computers, and, ironically, I see none of these copies selling for anywhere near $480,000 at present time. Perhaps that is because they have yet to start third-party grading for vintage computer games or the crafty market manipulators havent gotten around to bidding up these items as of yet? Better I end this article here rather than give anyone more ideas as to how to inflate the market for up and coming collectibles at present time. But if you do have any factory-sealed vintage video games, now may just be a very good time to sell. 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.