Shigeru Miyamoto-signed New Nintendo 3DS XL tops $21,000 on eBay

A rare collector’s item celebrating Nintendo’s history is now up for auction on eBay, giving retro game collectors a rare chance to get their hands on a one-of-a-kind New Nintendo 3DS XL signed by legendary video game designer and Nintendo pioneer Shigeru Miyamoto.

For context, this particular New Nintendo 3DS XL was awarded as the first-place prize to John “Numbers” Goldberg, winner of the 2015 Nintendo World Championships, which consisted of five rounds of classic and unreleased Nintendo games.

Now, Goldberg has decided to part with his one-of-a-kind Miyamoto-signed New Nintendo 3DS XL, which also features a sketch of Mario drawn on the spot. Goldberg took to social media to announce he was parting with his prized 3DS after cherishing it for nearly a decade. He said:

“Alright, this is a big one, and I have thought about this for a while, but I’ve gone and put my prize 3DS, from the 2015 Nintendo World Championships, up on eBay. It was signed by Shigeru Miyamoto himself! I do wonder if there will be any takers on this. Guess we’ll see how it shakes out!”

While New Nintendo 3DS XL systems have skyrocketed in price in recent years, it’s not the hardware that matters here; rather, it's the provenance, given that Shigeru Miyamoto rarely signs anything outside of special events.

The signed 3DS XL is in mint condition and has been carefully stored with its original packaging, along with a set of limited-edition collector cards featuring Goldberg, created by gaming archivist Walter Day. Goldberg was also given a championship trophy and a golden Mario statue, but he’s not auctioning them off. They are staying with him.

Bidding for the signed 3DS XL went live in late May, and it has already climbed past $21,000, with 56 bids and several days remaining before the bidding window closes in early June. Goldberg has stated that he is not willing to ship the console internationally and is considering hand-delivering it to its new owner, given the delicate nature and provenance of the collector’s item. For context, a comparable (renewed) New Nintendo 3DS XL fetching as much as $500 on Amazon, means that there is a significant premium to acquire what is essentially a one-of-a-kind purchase that only the most ardent of collectors with pockets to match will succeed in acquiring.