Junk! (Much like A&E's current line-up!)
How much is a Nintendo Entertainment System worth? I'm talking about the classic 8-bit NES, the console that played Metroid, Zelda and Ninja Gaiden. How much could you unload one of those for in 2011? Maybe $25? $50? That seems reasonable, just as long as it works properly and comes with more than a few worthwhile games.
Mark Belleo believes he can get a staggering $13,000 for a broken down NES he found in a storage locker. That's right, $13,000! He's just one of the cast of characters on Storage Wars, the hit reality series on A&E. Watch as this know-it-all explains how valuable this battered console is and why he's going to rake in the big bucks with this find. I hope you're sitting, because you're never going to believe what Mark has to say!
Quote 1:
The Very Rare NES-001!
NES-001: Perhaps you've seen it before!"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait ... guys, don't go anywhere. This is what we look for. Please be an NES-001. NES-001, guys."
Reality:
Mark desperately hopes that he's found an NES-001. As he closely inspects the front, back and bottom of the console, he excitedly talks about how important it is to be a "001" model. And wouldn't you know it; the brain-dead television star finally reveals that, lo and behold, he has found the Holy Grail of game systems. Ladies and gentlemen, he found an NES-001.
How did Mark get so lucky? Could it be that his father taught him how to sniff out the best storage rentals from a very early age? No. The reason Mark was able to find an NES-001 is because Nintendo sold tens of millions of these units. If you own (or owned) an old school NES, then chances are you had the "001" model. Yet Mark is convinced that he's found the very first unit. Boy is he going to be disappointed.
Quote 2:
The First Nintendo DS!
The origina Nintendo DS!"I want you to look at this very carefully. This is the first Nintendo DS built."
Reality:
What Mark lacks in knowledge, he more than makes up for with enthusiasm. Here he goes again, claiming that he found the very first Nintendo DS. You don't have to look "very carefully" to know that this is definitely not a Nintendo DS. The DS is a pocket-sized game system that came out two decades after the Nintendo Entertainment System. That 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System he's holding is big and clunky, it's certainly not going to fit in very many pockets. Not that you would want that thing anywhere around your clean clothes, what with the soda and chew spit stains.
Beyond the dramatically different sizes, the two systems are different in almost every way. The Nintendo DS has two screens, a stylus and microphone. On the other hand, the NES had a cartridge tray that sometimes worked. In the past seven years the Nintendo DS has become the top selling game system of all time, which may explain why this non-gamer has heard the name. Still, if you don't know what you're talking about you really should shut up.
Quote 3:
The $13,000 NES!
Price: $13,000"The last one that sold with five games in the Internet for $13,000."
Reality:
And here we have it, the real reason Mark is so excited by his newfound discovery. All of a sudden this storage vulture realizes that he has struck gold. Clearly he read a news story about this guy who sold an old NES for $13,000. Mark noted the amount of games and model number, making him the foremost authority on
used consoles. Because he has a handful of games and an NES-001, Mark is confident that this 26 year old system will fetch thousands of dollars.
Had Mark read deeper into the story he would have discovered that it wasn't the system that was so valuable, but rather the cartridges that came with. Specifically one game: Stadium Events. This rare NES title was quickly rebranded World Class Track Meet, a significantly less valuable pack-in game. The rest of the package (which included Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros. 3) was just an added bonus.
In less than 30 seconds Mark manages to get the name of the system wrong, over-inflate the price and underestimates the rarity the NES-001. That has to be a new record. Just about the only thing he got right was the company's name, but I have a hunch he calls every video game a "Nintendo." I'm sure Mark is good at something, but clearly sniffing out valuable game systems is not one of them.
