Heritage Offers a First Production Copy of The Legend of Zelda Certified by CGC Video Games

The sealed First Production copy of the NES classic is one of the rarest and most sought-after video games of all time.

Posted on: 1/7/2024

CGC Video Games™ has certified a sealed First Production copy of The Legend of Zelda, which is being offered in an upcoming Heritage Auctions sale. Heritage has only offered a sealed First Production copy of this game once before, and bidding for it went well into the six figures. The iconic Nintendo classic is among dozens of other CGC-certified video games and gaming paraphernalia available in Heritage’s Video Games Signature Auction, which will be held February 22-24, 2024.

On August 22, 1987, The Legend of Zelda was officially released in North America. Video Game enthusiasts flocked to retail stores to try out the action-adventure phenomenon they had heard so much about from overseas sources, and many went home with a brand-new, sealed First Production copy of the soon-to-be NES classic. But most opened their games and played them (probably a lot), so opportunities to obtain a sealed copy of a First Production run of The Legend of Zelda are extremely rare.

This First Production run of The Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo Entertainment System (1987) graded CGC 8.0 A is only the second example to surface with Heritage Auctions. Though some wear and tear is visible around the corners, the box is in impressive condition for being over 35 years old. The original plastic wrapping is still entirely intact, and the box is even adorned with the original Fedco price sticker from the defunct California department store chain, adding even more nostalgia.

Learn more about this First Production copy of The Legend of Zelda from Kenneth Thrower, CGC Video Games Senior Grading Finalizer, in the video below.

Other CGC-certified collectibles in the auction include:

  • a complete in box Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Entertainment System (1986) graded CGC 8.5
  • a Stadium Events cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System (1987) graded CGC 8.0
  • a sealed Tetris for the Nintendo Entertainment System (1989) graded CGC 9.4 A++
  • a Nintendo Power #11 (Nintendo of America Inc., 1990) graded CGC 9.6
  • a Nintendo Power #34 (Nintendo of America Inc., 1992) graded CGC 9.8
  • a sealed Super Mario Bros. 2 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (1993) graded CGC 9.6 B+
  • a sealed Super Metroid for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1994) graded CGC 9.6 A+
  • a Spider-Man/Venom: Maximum Carnage for the Sega Genesis (1994) graded CGC 9.9 A++
  • a sealed Pokémon Red Version for the Nintendo Game Boy (1998) graded CGC 9.0 A+