It's never been about "supply and demand". This has been a calculated racket artificially manipulated by people who aren't gamers. You aren't the first to wake up from their dream...
All investing/collectable markets are scams. Any time there is a way to make lots of money, people will lie cheat and steal to get that cash from you. It's your job as an investor to not fall for scams and make the right moves. Money is a brutal game!
@@pleasuretokill yup! People get caught up in the nostalgia of it all and they just jump into the deep end without ever thinking it through. It was clearly a scam when mario 64 sold for 1.2m MARIO 64 FOR CHRIST SAKES! They sold millions of copies it isn't rare at all, even sealed.
There'll be a class action lawsuit against WATA because of the increased fees that they charge based on a games "value", a number they helped inflate by manipulating the market. That company is screwed.
@@Alex-jk1dp The problem is that every game that gets sealed is one fewer game available to play. That drives up the prices. It doesn't matter much for the popular games that had thousands or millions of copies made.. but really affects the games that didn't get a lot of copies printed. Check out Arkista's Ring on Price Charting. The loose cartridge, which was $6 a decade ago is now approaching 10x as much.
@@misterkite I highly doubt that this really has something to do with most of the sealed games. Nobody in their right mind would open a valuable sealed game. Maybe for super rare games in general - but they usually don't have many sealed ones around. You usually find plenty of cartridges for sealed games. The price spike usually comes from youtube hype (let's plays) or a hot market overall. And I'd rather play a rom than opening an expensive sealed game or buying a $50++ cartridge.
I’d sell, no one in their right mind will ever pay those prices for video games ever again. The rich will be too embarrassed to pay those prices now that word is out. Think about the suckers who paid thousands for beanie babies? Ask 100 people who invest or collect video games if they will pay 30k for this game and 100% will say no. If they say yes then sell to that person today! Haha
Here we go with beanie Baby analogies. They were a crappy stuffed animal not backed by anything. The video game market will stay and have trends like sports cards and coins
I would just hold on to it in that WATA case, just for the fact that if the allegations are true you have a piece of criminal history that in and of itself is a collectible. Leave it as is and wait out this situation. That’s just my humble opinion
Piece of criminal history..... along with the many thousands of other WATA graded games. It's nothing special. WATA needs to be booted. Confidence in their grading system needs to cease!
You have a family and a future to think of. You are in a brand "new" business in terms of TH-cam and influencing. You never know when interest in your followers will change. Take the money and put into something for your future and your families.
I think it's much more morally sound choice to wait for the market to settle down before selling than likely rip someone off. I applaud the choice he's made and think this is exactly what collectors should be doing instead of taking the money and running. It will be much better for the hobby in the long term.
At the end of the day the plastic case is a nice protection so I wouldn't open it unless you send it to VGA (and even then it would be better to let them open it). The VGA route sounds good to me tbh
@@whyhere4575 lol “the case could be made that people WANT to spend 2M on a worthless, mass-produced Super Mario cart” is an awful take, my friend. Better take: speculators want to part wannabe “investors” from their money, because it’s good business and once the hype dies down, move on to the next speculative bubble.
@@whyhere4575 if that was the case he wouldn't go and make update videos when his opinion was wrong and proved such. When dream cheated his run he made a followup after it was found to be the fault of his mod creator and Dream didn't actively know the mods were included. He also doesn't make blatant statements that what he is saying is true but likely.
@@joaosergiodearaujoneto4151 the highest graded early hangtab copy that there’s one known that high.. you just don’t understand condition and rarity. Stick to loose carts then.
When you talk about the manipulated market it makes sense when you say how so many people and friends are telling you to sell the game rather than a bunch of people that want to buy the game from you
I think getting such a common game graded is silly and people who buy them are inflating a market that shouldn't exist for common games. It makes sense for a rare hard to find games. I play games and don't really care for sealed games.
The fact that they call themselves experts but get caught doing stupid mistakes like grading repos as authentic is a big issue. I understand if you want to encase a sealed game in acrylic but I wouldn’t pay for wata to do it.
it's funny how the same guys are involved in all this...the guy who runs Heritage is one of the guys who bought the million dollar mario game it's all pretty shady when you have the auction owner driving the prices up by bidding ...I think a criminal investigation is called for
Honestly I think that Wata and Heritage hurt collecting more just by existing. Due to them selling games for such high marks it just made collecting way harder. It just made the hobby more main stream which is kinda cool but now people know what they have and it just inflated the market.
People already knew what they have, a video game. But because of wata they're in the illusion that there video games are worth millions and that makes collecting way harder then it already was 🤑 😔
Why not just enjoy the game , playing the game knowing you can always come back to play it whenever is priceless already . Each game I got is like a portal to another world. I honor every experience. Why sell games for profit ? They love the money not the games...
@@hieinh Yeah but what I’m trying to say is since they sold a game for $1 million people especially at like yard sales and flea markets heard about it and now think that every game is worth millions.
It is, but certain games have certain seals that at first, are not easy to identify or have certain equipment to do it right. V Seals, Tab Seals, and then Generic Seals in which you can really tell. Plus, the item may have named seals, sometimes like DVD's and Playstation Games have to add to authenticity but you have to know what to look for. Knowing is indeed half the Battle.
@@delrachdubal very true. But if people can put the time and research into it it is easily possible. I have seen counterfeit currency complete with the holographic strips and watermarks created with a very sophisticated home setup. Also how how heartbreaking would it be to purchase an authentic Pokémon gameboy or gameboy advance game or any game for that matter that may have a battery, sealed, graded and high dollar, only to one day see those save / clock batteries have started leaking and eating through the cardboard and plastics?
@@delrachdubal and “half the battle” is exactly my point. The graders or knowledgeable person cannot say 100% that is genuine or what is in the package is not a screwed up mess. I myself believe that Ricks copy is authentic due to the factory “pinholes” which is sometimes left by the machines in the automated wrapping and sealing process. Most resealers and counterfeiters leave out or don’t realize these kind of microscopic details.
I’m sure Nintendo games had that tear away band with “Nintendo” in red lettering or in gold and if I don’t see that on any boxes that claim to be new and sealed I walk away… no game from the 80s or 90s is worth more than what it was originally priced at..
As a business owner for many years, my business mind says to hold it with the WATA certification. Once the alleged scam is over and decided, guilty or not, the game may bring double since you received it the same day the scam broke. Could be twice as valuable as originally thought. My personal thoughts are, if money is not an issue and you love the game and the collection, keep it in your collection for your future generation of collectors.
I'd say, do you need the money? If so, sell it. If not, keep it in the case until it plays out for 2 reasons. 1. It may play out okay with WATA, you never know; 2. If you take it out of the case right now, it'll be on the shelf and still could get damaged, the seal ripped etc.
Keep it on the shelf and now it’s apart of the history of WATA’s shadiness which adds to that games travels… or get it graded by VGA your choice bro - love the content
Agreed. Value is in the eye of the beholder obviously, but an item's story definitely adds to its value. And the timing of you receiving a highly graded game back, JUST days before its bubble is seemingly exposed, while graded by the actual CAUSER of that bubble... that's a good story!
I'd keep it as is. Allegations aside, the WATA cases look great and will protect your game from any damage. It's a really neat piece to have on the shelf!
Neater than having $20-30,000 in the bank? I'd rather sell it and get something like Addams Family Pinball machine and take the rest to go on a really amazing vacation than have an expensive piece of plastic sitting on my shelf collecting dust.
@@ataribowlingcgc4465 He made it clear in this video that he's not interested in selling it, and I think that's fair. I agree, I'd much rather take the money, but it's his decision.
I agree The haters can talk but I’m confident there will be people that would love a nice sealed Mario 3 in 5,10,20 years and it will always have value. It’s one of the most iconic games of all time. Hold it
@@supyo1 Huh? That is just one of many things money can buy. I'm glad so many millennials are convinced Generation Z and whatever the newest generation coming of age is will have any interest in physical media that came out 25 years before they were born, though when every generation that came before them's nostalgia collectables became worthless as those folks aged out of collecting/started to die off.
I’d list it on eBay for 20k. No better time to sell and if someone buys it than you truly know that person wants the game that bad and is willing to pay for it.
If you can sell it for $20k do it. The bubble will burst and you can end up on top. Find 20 things to buy for the money to make your collection even better.
Remember when ground breaking game sales were NES Stadium Events going for like $10-15k? And it was because it was so rare and not just because it was sealed. I just don't get how a sealed game can sell for say $200 and that same game once some "expert" says it is a 9.6 makes it worth $10k. You could always get it graded again by VGA if you wanted it still sealed and a better peace of mind of a grade that isn't from a shady company that will probably be out of business over this controversy. I would just at least keep it in the case for safety until you decide what to do. Would suck if opening the case somehow damaged it.
Patience is key here. Leave it as is and wait for the dust to settle. You have some sort of number in mind that would sway you to sell it so if that looks like it isn’t realistic then it is meant to be as a key piece of your collection. Good luck and thanks for the amazing videos!
Personally I would keep the game inside the case and display it like that. That way you know it has a pretty low chance of ever having the seal messed up or the box crushed by some crazy random accident. Love the content and definitely let us know whatever you end up deciding!
@@Hayzink Phoenix is the worst, he just jumped on the bandwagon and doesn’t even collect games. It’s all about the money for that guy and I’m personally not a fan
@@bediahjonesberg he is getting a lot of backlash and is turning off comments on a lot of videos now as a result. I'm assuming he will either address it or Hope it blows over
Serious question: Is there genuinely ANYone who didn't see this as absolutely inevitable? I always thought the entire "grading" thing was a scam. And not only because of how much they charge. Imagine the millions of games, toys, cards, etc... that are sent in to grading companies. With the amount they charge; they are all becoming insanely rich for VERY LITTLE effort. People are beating down their doors to throw money at them.
I understand grading comics and cards. I have over 100+ Graded Comics, with 35 having signatures or sketches on them. It's art. This, I'm not sure about.
@@danielmitchel31310 as a card collector, I agree 100% with you. Raw cards already sell depending on its condition so grading it with a reputable company helps the buyer easily find the value or price they’re willing to pay for a card without having to inspect the card too hard. And as a seller, you could sell it a little more as a premium for the protection coming with the card and the reputable company’s case
@@taconative334 that's also my stance and I agree. Just it being Graded, regardless of the Grade, adds protection! I just got into Graded Comics in October 2020. So often I'm able to get a Signed Modern Store Exclusive Comic for the cost of Grading + Signature in eBay auctions. Not even talking about the cost of the actual book! It doesn't make sense at all. Yes, it's the person selling it's mistake for putting it up for auction and not putting a minimum. So much of the comic Exclusive Market is all hype! 2 weeks later...worthless! I haven't tried to get into grading cards bcuz of the TAT being so egregious.
You absolutely MUST sell that game now! This is money you and your family could use. These games like you stated are way over hyped. Take advantage of the timing and the game and make that money. SELL SELL SELL!
So for me I don’t care for graded games because most people just grade them to sell them or they keep them locked up and don’t play them. I love to collect and want to play them. I say keep it and open it. Now if you have multiple copies of a game and one was factory sealed that’s different.
I'm really disappointed the retro gaming community fell for this "Investment" scheme 🙄 I saw right through this the second VGA came on the scene. Retro Rick, your copy of Super Mario 3 should stay sealed until you get Shigeri Miyamoto to sign the box and cartridge. I live out in Los Angeles. Universal Studios Hollywood is underway with the Super Nintendo World attraction. I have a strong feeling Mr.Miyamoto will be at the opening ceremony when it's announced. I'll keep you posted 👍
Yeah man VGA isn't at fault for this. VGA has been around many years before WATA and the prices were normal. I got some highly graded VGA GameCube games in 2018 for under $200. Once WATA came on the scene, the shit hit the fan and somehow everything skyrocketed 1000%
That sealed fortnite you showed at 3:37 has sketch written all over it. I don't care what the grading is on it, who's going to pay $50k for a sealed copy of a game you can get for free RIGHT NOW. It's still in print! I did a quick ebay search, and granted this is a year after the listing shown here, and it's listed for 20k. Last sold was in May 2022 a sealed 9.8 A rating (so the same sold for 50k) sold for 6k via bidding. I think that speaks volumes as to the situation in graded video games.
"There hasn't been anything really sketchy with VGA that I've heard..." There are enough videos out there about how incompetent VGA is (they've graded reseals and even repros), that they've got literally no credibility whatsoever (they don't even tell you who actually grades the games on their website) and how they damaged games/accessories in the process. If you don't want to sell the game, keep it in the case, it's a nice protective case.
So glad you covered this. I just watched your Wata unboxing video and was thinking "OMG has he seen the Karl Jobst video?". Best of luck to you man, you deserve it
I was wondering how you were going take this new info, cuz you're an actual die hard real fan of gaming. If you don't mind me asking, what did you pay to have that graded?
While it sounds like WATA did manipulate the market, I would consider other factors. The popularity of collecting among the gaming community as a result of loot boxes in games like counter-strike where you have real money auctions. The market there has exploded where a skin are sold for $400,000. This is for an in-game cosmetic that could be obsolete or deleted in a moment. Also millennials are hitting an age where nostalgia meets actually having the funds to buy your childhood back.
Omg it's one of the most mass produced games ever made. And this particular copy has never entertained or brought joy to a single kid or adult, within its lifetime. I'm sure there are lots of make a wish games / copies that are sealed still, too, that never made their destinations. Video games are meant to be played. They're not meant to sit on a shelf and rot.
@@ATSaale Anything can be collectable, but value is subjective and manipulated. I'm not trying to stop anything. But I don't think most adults, even those who collect, actually play with action figures still ... I've just pointed out the absurdity with sealed product and the illusion of rarity. But you could have two identical games, in identical conditions, minus a thin layer of shrink wrap and one is worth a thousand and the other is worth a million. It's ridiculous.
If you're an investor, sealed games are absolutely NOT to be played under any circumstances. They aren't even meant to be exposed to light - their job is to sit in a temp-controlled dark box until the day they go somewhere else.
As a Comic book collector we experienced speculators in 1989-1993 in that span. They came in , paid insane amounts for comics and more. Like buying a ton of Valiant issues believing the books were a fortune ahead. Many lost their asses once the market popped. Comics never did get back to pre-speculator market which is sad. Even now there is speculation in comics. The older valuable books more so. But nothing like the boom then. I feel for video game collectors now and you here.
I say keep it!! Amazing find to have in your collection and the case will protect it even more lol. And down the road after this blows over you may be surprised to see the prices have gone up
I’ve been a lifetime lover of video games and collecting them. I was born in 1984 so I have man fond memories starting from the Atari and Nes days to present day. It has always seemed crazy to me to have sealed copies of games. I’d be more than happy with a unsealed copy but have the box and inserts/manuals at the very least VGC. Games are meant to be enjoyed and used imo. Sealed belong in a museum 😁. Love the channel though Rick!! It’s awesome and I’d love to have a bigger games room like yours one day. So cool!
It is still sealed, and sure, Wata has a stain, but I would think the grade would be relatively legit just by seeing it. You should still be able to get a lot of money for it, at least 10K plus for sure. People with too much money want these slabbed.
Yeah but the grading as you say legit that's a big question go to like Phoenix repro and all these other people that show holes in some titles yet they get a 9.8 because it's a throw-in title yet Mario games are looked at way closer... And if you're paying for grading a grade is a grade it doesn't matter if it's a $2 game or a $200 game.... They have so many indiscrepancies in their grading all you can trust is that it's in a plastic case... They've already let slip some resealed games that they say are originally sealed. You can buy a plastic case for 10 bucks and do the same thing
I don't think you wasted your money getting your game graded, but I do not believe these games are worth anywhere near what Heritage auctions is advertising they sold for. The owner of heritage auctions actually bought one of the games that "sold" . It's a racket where they are getting money for the games being graded and then making money and advertising from the auction as well. The owner of heritage auctions was involved in a coin scam in the 1980s if that will tell you anything.
...well yeah. People flaunt their shit, its a prestige thing people think they want, to show off. Same with exclusives to a degree. Step 1: Get 100 games "graded" 2. Sell as a prestige item. 3. Profit. 4. Were all nostalgia collectors and some of us will shell out the bucks because of reason 2. Add in the allure profitting off of this, and you have a successful business.
I think the right thing would be to send it to vga. All wata gradings are gonna become unauthentic, and all of these wata sealed graded games are pretty much gonna go down in value until they hit a rock bottom where they are basically being sold as ungraded games. You could bank on it but if I was the collector buying that I would feel terrible after the wata gradings become useless.
I heard this from Karl and also on a UK radio 4 article. An art expert came on to discuss the whole buisiness of market manipulation in art/ coins/ video games . He said that so many items were just bought and sold between the same few people with no money actually changing hands until some unwary punter stepped in and bid actual money. He said it happed in a ton of markets. Do we really think old video game cartridges are REALLY worth $100k + ? If you do then BOY have I got a ton of NFT's to sell you!!!
Sit on it. Put it on the shelf. Pretend you don't own it. Revisit it every 6 months or so and see where things stand. If you aren't hard up for cash, I wouldn't worry about it. It's too early to tell what's going to happen with the sealed games market IMO. I can tell you I DON'T think it's going away, and I can also tell you I think a Mario 3 is likely to only go up in price, not down.
2 words: Beanie Babies! That spike in "value" for a "mint with tags" was crazy. The blue peanut which was originally pulled and maybe had a couple hundred that made it to market were rare and valuable to collectors... but all the other common crap because it had a tush tag and in an acrylic container, people were asking way too much for a $5 beanie (and somehow the bull market allowed them to get it). It crashed hard and people were left with nothing in their hands or collections.
Super Mario World has some of the best in Mario music, and you have one of the best intros on all of TH-cam. Idec that my comment isn't fully relevant, as the smile that intro gave me.
Step one: make a huge bucket of molten plastic. Step two: hold it in the air over the north pole. Step three: pour it all over and seal the Earth in plastic. Step four: sit back and watch the price go up.
for me, the VGA cases looks better, their grading is more consistent aswell , but yeh, this is a big bubble ready to burst. a few people making a ton of money and some people loosing millions. What sucks with these insane prices is that normal collectors like myself cant afford any sealed games anymore. its just ridiculous. i mean if it is like 5+ years old and sealed its overpriced. not even funny anymore:(
well, a Mario 1Oval SOQ R just sold for over $100,000 tonite on Heritage. Looks like that fake Karl Jobst video had no impact. Most collectors and investors know that video is just slander and defamation...
Hey just so you know I worked at a pawnshop and my job was to make items look new... Someone brought in games with sleeves and I was handed goo-gone and a shrink wrap machine with a blow-dryer and basically made the games and different products look new unused never opened... Since then when people tell me it's "new, never opened" I don't trust it. I have items from the 80's & 90's and trust me when I tell you there is wear and tear on the plastic...
Wata isn’t being sued for increased game prices. They’re being sued because they weren’t grading peoples games in time for them to take advantage of the market at its peak (summer 2021 ). By the time customer received their graded games back some titles dropped in value by 50 percent.
There's zero harm in leaving it in as-is. If this Heritage/WATA thing turns up to be legitimate and not a scam, then you haven't lost any footing. If/when a different opportunity presents itself, you can address the situation at that time.
My best advice would be to put it on Ebay and let the market organically dictate the value. After it sells, simply buy another sealed copy that you think is in a similar condition but not graded. Then your conscience is free and clear, you make money and still have the game.
at the end of the day, it's one of your favorite pieces - you don't lose anything by keeping it. the potential value will go up and down over time but it's just that - potential value. if you wanted to sell it and go buy a minty CIB copy that's ok too. it's all up to how you want your collection to look.
The original cellophane has folded corners. Your game is resealed with a cellphane machine I use to use at Blockbuster Video. The original cellophane on CD, Movies, and games has folded edges so store owners can tell if it was opened and resealed. WATA could be doing anything to these games like removing original circuit board, swapping parts so they have the best quality games to auction off. Original cellophane will also have defects from things scratching it and rubbing it. Your cellophane is too perfect and melted in the sides which means resealed. Now if you think it is worth $20,000 Then try selling it yourself. Auction it off starting bid at 10k and see what happens. You can always cancel the auction on EBay. A item is only worth what it sells for. Prices are wishes.
Dude, if you distrust WATA/Heritage that much then get rid of that "stupid" WATA box and be done with it. We all know you wouldn't do that because the WATA grading "stupid" box is what makes your game worth what it is....REGARDLESS of what you think of them. VGA is no different if you think you're getting a better deal. BTW, Karl Jobst is NOT NEW to creating these "controversy" content to get SUBS and VIEWS. Karl is doing exactly what he's accusing others of doing. I have ZERO trust in his story or his views.
I used to work at egghead computers in the '90s. We would open up the games, take them home and play them, bring them back to the store, and shrink wrap them. Can you believe it, there's shrink wrap machines LOL. I hope a copy of monkey Island that I ripped open in 96 is in some wata sealed plastic case. I'm sure the experts there can tell where the shrink wrap came from.
If you have already spent the time and money on it, leave it slabbed with the WATA shell, enjoy the hell out of it, and be proud that you dodged immorality AND preserved that seal forever. I think you’ve done all you can and now you own a staple piece as a real pure-hearted collector.
Pretty obvious it's a scam IMO. The conflict of interest alone regardless of actions taken is enough for them to be dissolved.
It's never been about "supply and demand". This has been a calculated racket artificially manipulated by people who aren't gamers. You aren't the first to wake up from their dream...
All investing/collectable markets are scams. Any time there is a way to make lots of money, people will lie cheat and steal to get that cash from you. It's your job as an investor to not fall for scams and make the right moves. Money is a brutal game!
@@pleasuretokill yup! People get caught up in the nostalgia of it all and they just jump into the deep end without ever thinking it through. It was clearly a scam when mario 64 sold for 1.2m MARIO 64 FOR CHRIST SAKES! They sold millions of copies it isn't rare at all, even sealed.
The FTX of video games? Hmmm...could be
@@origintrackz5235 The whole thing is like NFT's - get money from gullible people before they realise what they have bought.
There'll be a class action lawsuit against WATA because of the increased fees that they charge based on a games "value", a number they helped inflate by manipulating the market. That company is screwed.
You were bang on with this! If I'm getting the timeline right, a suit was filed in California within a year of this video going live! 🎮⚖👍
It sure did@@dieseldragon6756
I’d much rather have boxed but unsealed games so I can actually play them.
Then get an extra cheap cartridge and play it
You don’t even believe that lmfao
@@Alex-jk1dp fr huh just buy a cheap version of it if you wanna play it
@@Alex-jk1dp The problem is that every game that gets sealed is one fewer game available to play. That drives up the prices. It doesn't matter much for the popular games that had thousands or millions of copies made.. but really affects the games that didn't get a lot of copies printed. Check out Arkista's Ring on Price Charting. The loose cartridge, which was $6 a decade ago is now approaching 10x as much.
@@misterkite I highly doubt that this really has something to do with most of the sealed games. Nobody in their right mind would open a valuable sealed game. Maybe for super rare games in general - but they usually don't have many sealed ones around. You usually find plenty of cartridges for sealed games. The price spike usually comes from youtube hype (let's plays) or a hot market overall. And I'd rather play a rom than opening an expensive sealed game or buying a $50++ cartridge.
I’d sell, no one in their right mind will ever pay those prices for video games ever again. The rich will be too embarrassed to pay those prices now that word is out. Think about the suckers who paid thousands for beanie babies?
Ask 100 people who invest or collect video games if they will pay 30k for this game and 100% will say no. If they say yes then sell to that person today! Haha
You get an A++ for the day
Here we go with beanie Baby analogies. They were a crappy stuffed animal not backed by anything. The video game market will stay and have trends like sports cards and coins
@@hieinh yet Large Wallace and his Squad sold for $600,000 and Princess the Bear sold for $500,000at its peak🤦♂️
@@kidnycz graded video games have already lasted longer than beanie babies. Funko pops 11 years. Graded cards decades
@@hieinh coins even longer then all yet it crashed after the scam and never recovered to those highs
I would just hold on to it in that WATA case, just for the fact that if the allegations are true you have a piece of criminal history that in and of itself is a collectible. Leave it as is and wait out this situation. That’s just my humble opinion
agreed
Nice way to think about this!
That opinion is VERY HUMBLE!
What criminal history?
Piece of criminal history..... along with the many thousands of other WATA graded games. It's nothing special. WATA needs to be booted. Confidence in their grading system needs to cease!
You have a family and a future to think of. You are in a brand "new" business in terms of TH-cam and influencing. You never know when interest in your followers will change. Take the money and put into something for your future and your families.
That’s a dang solid college fund for his kid or mortgage paid off or business investment etc
I think it's much more morally sound choice to wait for the market to settle down before selling than likely rip someone off. I applaud the choice he's made and think this is exactly what collectors should be doing instead of taking the money and running. It will be much better for the hobby in the long term.
Now that's good advice for anyone.
At the end of the day the plastic case is a nice protection so I wouldn't open it unless you send it to VGA (and even then it would be better to let them open it). The VGA route sounds good to me tbh
Having a game graded means the owner is not smart so you low ball them. Always low ball idiots with graded games.
Id consider Karl a very good source. He does very in depth research on anything that may be controversial and he dots his "I"s and crosses his "T"s
@@whyhere4575 I agree. It’s all click bait bs
@@whyhere4575 lol “the case could be made that people WANT to spend 2M on a worthless, mass-produced Super Mario cart” is an awful take, my friend.
Better take: speculators want to part wannabe “investors” from their money, because it’s good business and once the hype dies down, move on to the next speculative bubble.
@@whyhere4575 if that was the case he wouldn't go and make update videos when his opinion was wrong and proved such. When dream cheated his run he made a followup after it was found to be the fault of his mod creator and Dream didn't actively know the mods were included. He also doesn't make blatant statements that what he is saying is true but likely.
@@joaosergiodearaujoneto4151 the highest graded early hangtab copy that there’s one known that high.. you just don’t understand condition and rarity. Stick to loose carts then.
@@supyo1 sorry, no mass-produced item with near infinite availability is worth 2 million dollars. It’s a speculative bubble.
When you talk about the manipulated market it makes sense when you say how so many people and friends are telling you to sell the game rather than a bunch of people that want to buy the game from you
Extremely good point. I wonder if anyone has hit him up to purchase it?
I think getting such a common game graded is silly and people who buy them are inflating a market that shouldn't exist for common games. It makes sense for a rare hard to find games. I play games and don't really care for sealed games.
I've had my sealed Resident Evil series collection on GameCube graded, quite disappointing as they're not that valuable even with a 9.2 9.6 grade
Wow this whole hipster grading cash in was all just a giant scam.
Imagine my shock.
... It's a scam if it sounds to good to be true it's a scam ... 😝
The fact that they call themselves experts but get caught doing stupid mistakes like grading repos as authentic is a big issue. I understand if you want to encase a sealed game in acrylic but I wouldn’t pay for wata to do it.
it's funny how the same guys are involved in all this...the guy who runs Heritage is one of the guys who bought the million dollar mario game
it's all pretty shady when you have the auction owner driving the prices up by bidding ...I think a criminal investigation is called for
Straight facts
Yeah it happening now them letter boys are on there ass lol.
Honestly I think that Wata and Heritage hurt collecting more just by existing. Due to them selling games for such high marks it just made collecting way harder. It just made the hobby more main stream which is kinda cool but now people know what they have and it just inflated the market.
People already knew what they have, a video game. But because of wata they're in the illusion that there video games are worth millions and that makes collecting way harder then it already was 🤑 😔
@@DutchGameHunter very well said!
Why not just enjoy the game , playing the game knowing you can always come back to play it whenever is priceless already . Each game I got is like a portal to another world. I honor every experience. Why sell games for profit ? They love the money not the games...
Buy used then. Simple as that.
@@hieinh Yeah but what I’m trying to say is since they sold a game for $1 million people especially at like yard sales and flea markets heard about it and now think that every game is worth millions.
The whole fact of an appraisal service that charges a percentage based on "fair market value" is super sus IMHO. They should charge a flat fee.
The game means something to you, I’d just put it on the shelf as is. It was your favorite before grading, you’d miss it if you sold it.
Agreed
From what I see on his videos, he mostly cares about the money and not much else
If i were you I would gift it to your good buddy NES ADDICT. Sounds like the best plan to me 🤣
Yes.
We just crunched the numbers. We have to agree with NES ADDICT.
Put it on eBay for 35k "buy it now" and allow people to make offers and see what happens.
Man, those eBay fees though haha
@@billyelliotx true but what else would have lower fee's?
@@billyelliotx so you pay 500 in fees, who really cares when you're withdrawing 25,000 out of the bank
@@billyelliotx and the capital gains tax, way more than the fees, it would be thousands
@@billyelliotx Heritage Auctions charges a commission of 20% which is also not cheap
I personally will not buy a “sealed” copy unless it is literally a brand new game. It is so easy to reseal anything.
It is, but certain games have certain seals that at first, are not easy to identify or have certain equipment to do it right. V Seals, Tab Seals, and then Generic Seals in which you can really tell. Plus, the item may have named seals, sometimes like DVD's and Playstation Games have to add to authenticity but you have to know what to look for. Knowing is indeed half the Battle.
@@delrachdubal very true. But if people can put the time and research into it it is easily possible. I have seen counterfeit currency complete with the holographic strips and watermarks created with a very sophisticated home setup. Also how how heartbreaking would it be to purchase an authentic Pokémon gameboy or gameboy advance game or any game for that matter that may have a battery, sealed, graded and high dollar, only to one day see those save / clock batteries have started leaking and eating through the cardboard and plastics?
@@delrachdubal and “half the battle” is exactly my point. The graders or knowledgeable person cannot say 100% that is genuine or what is in the package is not a screwed up mess. I myself believe that Ricks copy is authentic due to the factory “pinholes” which is sometimes left by the machines in the automated wrapping and sealing process. Most resealers and counterfeiters leave out or don’t realize these kind of microscopic details.
LOL, Babbage's used to reseal games years ago and put them back on the shelf as new.
I’m sure Nintendo games had that tear away band with “Nintendo” in red lettering or in gold and if I don’t see that on any boxes that claim to be new and sealed I walk away… no game from the 80s or 90s is worth more than what it was originally priced at..
As a business owner for many years, my business mind says to hold it with the WATA certification. Once the alleged scam is over and decided, guilty or not, the game may bring double since you received it the same day the scam broke. Could be twice as valuable as originally thought. My personal thoughts are, if money is not an issue and you love the game and the collection, keep it in your collection for your future generation of collectors.
Timing doesn’t mean nada. The grading service may be cool. Unless it turns out to be a crappy card grader like hga etc
It’s pure profit. You know even $2-$3k for that game is rediculous. Just sell it.
I'd hold on to it u know its just going to go up in value
Reminds of the BLACK DIAMOND DISNEY VHS movies SCAM.
Hahaha yup! Worth millions they said. Every Tom, Dick and Harry has them kicking around FFS
How do people find sealed perfect condition games after over 30 years. I wonder how many are fake remakes.
People are hoarding these items
ok, but imagine falling for video game grading lmao
what do you mean?
Good for you, this is why you're the man. Avoid wata, don't use heritage auctions, but I say sell it on eBay or crack the case and send to VGA.
I'd say, do you need the money? If so, sell it. If not, keep it in the case until it plays out for 2 reasons. 1. It may play out okay with WATA, you never know; 2. If you take it out of the case right now, it'll be on the shelf and still could get damaged, the seal ripped etc.
LMAO look at that room. It appears that every man-child has a TH-cam channel.
Keep it on the shelf and now it’s apart of the history of WATA’s shadiness which adds to that games travels… or get it graded by VGA your choice bro - love the content
Agreed. Value is in the eye of the beholder obviously, but an item's story definitely adds to its value. And the timing of you receiving a highly graded game back, JUST days before its bubble is seemingly exposed, while graded by the actual CAUSER of that bubble... that's a good story!
I'd keep it as is. Allegations aside, the WATA cases look great and will protect your game from any damage. It's a really neat piece to have on the shelf!
Neater than having $20-30,000 in the bank? I'd rather sell it and get something like Addams Family Pinball machine and take the rest to go on a really amazing vacation than have an expensive piece of plastic sitting on my shelf collecting dust.
@@ataribowlingcgc4465 He made it clear in this video that he's not interested in selling it, and I think that's fair. I agree, I'd much rather take the money, but it's his decision.
I agree
The haters can talk but I’m confident there will be people that would love a nice sealed Mario 3 in 5,10,20 years and it will always have value. It’s one of the most iconic games of all time.
Hold it
@@ataribowlingcgc4465 That’s what’s great about personal preference. I’m glad you think others would want a pinball machine like you though.
@@supyo1 Huh? That is just one of many things money can buy.
I'm glad so many millennials are convinced Generation Z and whatever the newest generation coming of age is will have any interest in physical media that came out 25 years before they were born, though when every generation that came before them's nostalgia collectables became worthless as those folks aged out of collecting/started to die off.
I wouldn’t crack it. It still protects it. Maybe crack it down the line when cgc opens up their grading service?
Crack it and send it to VGA
I would even just let vga or whatever open it
I’d list it on eBay for 20k. No better time to sell and if someone buys it than you truly know that person wants the game that bad and is willing to pay for it.
If you can sell it for $20k do it. The bubble will burst and you can end up on top. Find 20 things to buy for the money to make your collection even better.
Remember when ground breaking game sales were NES Stadium Events going for like $10-15k? And it was because it was so rare and not just because it was sealed. I just don't get how a sealed game can sell for say $200 and that same game once some "expert" says it is a 9.6 makes it worth $10k.
You could always get it graded again by VGA if you wanted it still sealed and a better peace of mind of a grade that isn't from a shady company that will probably be out of business over this controversy. I would just at least keep it in the case for safety until you decide what to do. Would suck if opening the case somehow damaged it.
Now a sealed Stadium Events or other Actually rare games, don't pull that kind of money.
Patience is key here. Leave it as is and wait for the dust to settle. You have some sort of number in mind that would sway you to sell it so if that looks like it isn’t realistic then it is meant to be as a key piece of your collection. Good luck and thanks for the amazing videos!
Personally I would keep the game inside the case and display it like that. That way you know it has a pretty low chance of ever having the seal messed up or the box crushed by some crazy random accident. Love the content and definitely let us know whatever you end up deciding!
Anyone who fell for this scam deserve what they got.
I respect you a lot Rick since you're the first collector/reseller I watch that has said they would stop using WATA until things are figured out.
i notice phoenix took down his video about the situation....
@@Hayzink damn, I’ll have to go look lol he was probably getting a bunch of shit for it
@@Hayzink Interesting... I like Calleb and all but cant say i was too happy with his stance to continue using WATA
@@Hayzink Phoenix is the worst, he just jumped on the bandwagon and doesn’t even collect games. It’s all about the money for that guy and I’m personally not a fan
@@bediahjonesberg he is getting a lot of backlash and is turning off comments on a lot of videos now as a result.
I'm assuming he will either address it or Hope it blows over
Serious question: Is there genuinely ANYone who didn't see this as absolutely inevitable? I always thought the entire "grading" thing was a scam. And not only because of how much they charge. Imagine the millions of games, toys, cards, etc... that are sent in to grading companies. With the amount they charge; they are all becoming insanely rich for VERY LITTLE effort. People are beating down their doors to throw money at them.
I understand grading comics and cards. I have over 100+ Graded Comics, with 35 having signatures or sketches on them. It's art. This, I'm not sure about.
@@danielmitchel31310 as a card collector, I agree 100% with you. Raw cards already sell depending on its condition so grading it with a reputable company helps the buyer easily find the value or price they’re willing to pay for a card without having to inspect the card too hard. And as a seller, you could sell it a little more as a premium for the protection coming with the card and the reputable company’s case
@@taconative334 that's also my stance and I agree. Just it being Graded, regardless of the Grade, adds protection! I just got into Graded Comics in October 2020. So often I'm able to get a Signed Modern Store Exclusive Comic for the cost of Grading + Signature in eBay auctions. Not even talking about the cost of the actual book! It doesn't make sense at all. Yes, it's the person selling it's mistake for putting it up for auction and not putting a minimum. So much of the comic Exclusive Market is all hype! 2 weeks later...worthless! I haven't tried to get into grading cards bcuz of the TAT being so egregious.
You absolutely MUST sell that game now! This is money you and your family could use. These games like you stated are way over hyped. Take advantage of the timing and the game and make that money. SELL SELL SELL!
I'm a gamer/collector and I'm staying far away from any Wata graded games. I've lost all trust in the company.
So for me I don’t care for graded games because most people just grade them to sell them or they keep them locked up and don’t play them. I love to collect and want to play them. I say keep it and open it. Now if you have multiple copies of a game and one was factory sealed that’s different.
He had 9 copies
There are plenty of opened playable copies of SMB 3 in the wild. Dime a dozen
I'm really disappointed the retro gaming community fell for this "Investment" scheme 🙄 I saw right through this the second VGA came on the scene.
Retro Rick, your copy of Super Mario 3 should stay sealed until you get Shigeri Miyamoto to sign the box and cartridge.
I live out in Los Angeles. Universal Studios Hollywood is underway with the Super Nintendo World attraction. I have a strong feeling Mr.Miyamoto will be at the opening ceremony when it's announced. I'll keep you posted 👍
You saw it the second VGA came on the scene? But the prices didnt inflate untill way later.. Are you thinking of WATA?
Yeah man VGA isn't at fault for this. VGA has been around many years before WATA and the prices were normal. I got some highly graded VGA GameCube games in 2018 for under $200. Once WATA came on the scene, the shit hit the fan and somehow everything skyrocketed 1000%
@@KneesOfTheBees Agreed its because of WATA/Heritage
Why would you crack it out and put it on a shelf? It’s protected in the case. 🤷♂️
That sealed fortnite you showed at 3:37 has sketch written all over it. I don't care what the grading is on it, who's going to pay $50k for a sealed copy of a game you can get for free RIGHT NOW. It's still in print! I did a quick ebay search, and granted this is a year after the listing shown here, and it's listed for 20k. Last sold was in May 2022 a sealed 9.8 A rating (so the same sold for 50k) sold for 6k via bidding. I think that speaks volumes as to the situation in graded video games.
Rick what about option 6, crack it open, remove the seal and play it like everybody use to do 😁
I suspect he probably already has an opened copy of SMB 3 for playing.
Well I already have 9 copies I can do that with 😂
@rickey holmes 💯 😄 i would never open it or even sell it. When you are a collector this must be one of the best pieces on display
"There hasn't been anything really sketchy with VGA that I've heard..." There are enough videos out there about how incompetent VGA is (they've graded reseals and even repros), that they've got literally no credibility whatsoever (they don't even tell you who actually grades the games on their website) and how they damaged games/accessories in the process.
If you don't want to sell the game, keep it in the case, it's a nice protective case.
So glad you covered this. I just watched your Wata unboxing video and was thinking "OMG has he seen the Karl Jobst video?". Best of luck to you man, you deserve it
Sell it for 20k right now. Buy 10 copies (rated 9.8) in about a year for 200 bucks.
I was wondering how you were going take this new info, cuz you're an actual die hard real fan of gaming. If you don't mind me asking, what did you pay to have that graded?
These creators never want to give people any real details.
I think the grading starts at $170.
I was going to send a sealed copy of ocarina of time n they where charging me 600 dollars
I would just keep it as is. Despite all the shadiness, I feel like the grade is awesome and if it's something you love, might as well preserve it.
WATA is definitely shady, that said if you can get paid, GET PAID
While it sounds like WATA did manipulate the market, I would consider other factors. The popularity of collecting among the gaming community as a result of loot boxes in games like counter-strike where you have real money auctions. The market there has exploded where a skin are sold for $400,000. This is for an in-game cosmetic that could be obsolete or deleted in a moment. Also millennials are hitting an age where nostalgia meets actually having the funds to buy your childhood back.
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Omg it's one of the most mass produced games ever made. And this particular copy has never entertained or brought joy to a single kid or adult, within its lifetime. I'm sure there are lots of make a wish games / copies that are sealed still, too, that never made their destinations. Video games are meant to be played. They're not meant to sit on a shelf and rot.
You might as well go back and try to stop action figures from being collectible.
@@ATSaale Anything can be collectable, but value is subjective and manipulated. I'm not trying to stop anything. But I don't think most adults, even those who collect, actually play with action figures still ...
I've just pointed out the absurdity with sealed product and the illusion of rarity. But you could have two identical games, in identical conditions, minus a thin layer of shrink wrap and one is worth a thousand and the other is worth a million. It's ridiculous.
If you're an investor, sealed games are absolutely NOT to be played under any circumstances. They aren't even meant to be exposed to light - their job is to sit in a temp-controlled dark box until the day they go somewhere else.
dinosaurs went instinct because of natural disasters , humanity will go instinct because of.... humanity
As a Comic book collector we experienced speculators in 1989-1993 in that span. They came in , paid insane amounts for comics and more. Like buying a ton of Valiant issues believing the books were a fortune ahead. Many lost their asses once the market popped. Comics never did get back to pre-speculator market which is sad. Even now there is speculation in comics. The older valuable books more so. But nothing like the boom then. I feel for video game collectors now and you here.
Out of everything in your game room, that's the game that you should hold on to the most.
It's a piece of history and has a meaning to you.
He can buy a nice complete copy instead! It will look just as good
I say keep it!! Amazing find to have in your collection and the case will protect it even more lol. And down the road after this blows over you may be surprised to see the prices have gone up
It’s been the worst 2 years in gaming and collecting in my opinion. Games are meant to be played...
I’ve been a lifetime lover of video games and collecting them. I was born in 1984 so I have man fond memories starting from the Atari and Nes days to present day. It has always seemed crazy to me to have sealed copies of games. I’d be more than happy with a unsealed copy but have the box and inserts/manuals at the very least VGC. Games are meant to be enjoyed and used imo. Sealed belong in a museum 😁. Love the channel though Rick!! It’s awesome and I’d love to have a bigger games room like yours one day. So cool!
It is still sealed, and sure, Wata has a stain, but I would think the grade would be relatively legit just by seeing it. You should still be able to get a lot of money for it, at least 10K plus for sure. People with too much money want these slabbed.
Yeah but the grading as you say legit that's a big question go to like Phoenix repro and all these other people that show holes in some titles yet they get a 9.8 because it's a throw-in title yet Mario games are looked at way closer... And if you're paying for grading a grade is a grade it doesn't matter if it's a $2 game or a $200 game.... They have so many indiscrepancies in their grading all you can trust is that it's in a plastic case... They've already let slip some resealed games that they say are originally sealed. You can buy a plastic case for 10 bucks and do the same thing
The “completely unnecessary” or CU podcast has been talking about this WATA Heritage auction shenanigans for months
WATA didn’t cause it. You did. Nobody forced you to throw money away on something you can just put in a collection and stare at.
I don't think you wasted your money getting your game graded, but I do not believe these games are worth anywhere near what Heritage auctions is advertising they sold for. The owner of heritage auctions actually bought one of the games that "sold" . It's a racket where they are getting money for the games being graded and then making money and advertising from the auction as well. The owner of heritage auctions was involved in a coin scam in the 1980s if that will tell you anything.
I would just save it as is. You've kept it this long and now it's sitting inside an acrylic case. Doesn't hurt.
Sell it on eBay, take a vacation with the family, buy a replacement Mario 3 for the shelf, and roll on. Secure the bag.
...well yeah. People flaunt their shit, its a prestige thing people think they want, to show off. Same with exclusives to a degree. Step 1: Get 100 games "graded" 2. Sell as a prestige item. 3. Profit. 4. Were all nostalgia collectors and some of us will shell out the bucks because of reason 2. Add in the allure profitting off of this, and you have a successful business.
I think the right thing would be to send it to vga. All wata gradings are gonna become unauthentic, and all of these wata sealed graded games are pretty much gonna go down in value until they hit a rock bottom where they are basically being sold as ungraded games. You could bank on it but if I was the collector buying that I would feel terrible after the wata gradings become useless.
I heard this from Karl and also on a UK radio 4 article. An art expert came on to discuss the whole buisiness of market manipulation in art/ coins/ video games . He said that so many items were just bought and sold between the same few people with no money actually changing hands until some unwary punter stepped in and bid actual money. He said it happed in a ton of markets. Do we really think old video game cartridges are REALLY worth $100k + ? If you do then BOY have I got a ton of NFT's to sell you!!!
You do what makes you happy. Don’t listen to anyone else. It’s your game, your decision.
Sit on it. Put it on the shelf. Pretend you don't own it. Revisit it every 6 months or so and see where things stand. If you aren't hard up for cash, I wouldn't worry about it. It's too early to tell what's going to happen with the sealed games market IMO. I can tell you I DON'T think it's going away, and I can also tell you I think a Mario 3 is likely to only go up in price, not down.
11 minutes in and still haven’t heard why or how WATA costed this user $18.000.00
2 words: Beanie Babies! That spike in "value" for a "mint with tags" was crazy. The blue peanut which was originally pulled and maybe had a couple hundred that made it to market were rare and valuable to collectors... but all the other common crap because it had a tush tag and in an acrylic container, people were asking way too much for a $5 beanie (and somehow the bull market allowed them to get it). It crashed hard and people were left with nothing in their hands or collections.
To quote Charlie Sheen in "Wall Street", "Sell the fucker, FAST!!"
Imagine how many sealed copies are floating around. It never made sense
I'm late to the party, but no. They didn't cost you $30k, because the game was never really woth that.
Super Mario World has some of the best in Mario music, and you have one of the best intros on all of TH-cam. Idec that my comment isn't fully relevant, as the smile that intro gave me.
Step one: make a huge bucket of molten plastic.
Step two: hold it in the air over the north pole.
Step three: pour it all over and seal the Earth in plastic.
Step four: sit back and watch the price go up.
5 option: Open it and Play it!!!
for me, the VGA cases looks better, their grading is more consistent aswell , but yeh, this is a big bubble ready to burst. a few people making a ton of money and some people loosing millions.
What sucks with these insane prices is that normal collectors like myself cant afford any sealed games anymore. its just ridiculous. i mean if it is like 5+ years old and sealed its overpriced. not even funny anymore:(
well, a Mario 1Oval SOQ R just sold for over $100,000 tonite on Heritage. Looks like that fake Karl Jobst video had no impact. Most collectors and investors know that video is just slander and defamation...
I agree with you. There is a herd mentality in these comment sections. They are bitter they missed out
Hey just so you know I worked at a pawnshop and my job was to make items look new... Someone brought in games with sleeves and I was handed goo-gone and a shrink wrap machine with a blow-dryer and basically made the games and different products look new unused never opened... Since then when people tell me it's "new, never opened" I don't trust it. I have items from the 80's & 90's and trust me when I tell you there is wear and tear on the plastic...
Keep it, Rick. You will not find another and ur a collector. Nostalgia is hard to replace.
If you send it to VGA you may as well keep it in the WATA case as protection for shipping.
The man who runs and owns heritage auctions was once fined 1 million dollars for scams with coins
It just seems insane that one of the most mass produced games Mario 3 ever could be priced so high
WATA has destroyed game collecting
Wata isn’t being sued for increased game prices. They’re being sued because they weren’t grading peoples games in time for them to take advantage of the market at its peak (summer 2021 ). By the time customer received their graded games back some titles dropped in value by 50 percent.
There's zero harm in leaving it in as-is. If this Heritage/WATA thing turns up to be legitimate and not a scam, then you haven't lost any footing. If/when a different opportunity presents itself, you can address the situation at that time.
My best advice would be to put it on Ebay and let the market organically dictate the value. After it sells, simply buy another sealed copy that you think is in a similar condition but not graded. Then your conscience is free and clear, you make money and still have the game.
at the end of the day, it's one of your favorite pieces - you don't lose anything by keeping it. the potential value will go up and down over time but it's just that - potential value. if you wanted to sell it and go buy a minty CIB copy that's ok too. it's all up to how you want your collection to look.
The original cellophane has folded corners. Your game is resealed with a cellphane machine I use to use at Blockbuster Video. The original cellophane on CD, Movies, and games has folded edges so store owners can tell if it was opened and resealed.
WATA could be doing anything to these games like removing original circuit board, swapping parts so they have the best quality games to auction off. Original cellophane will also have defects from things scratching it and rubbing it. Your cellophane is too perfect and melted in the sides which means resealed. Now if you think it is worth $20,000 Then try selling it yourself. Auction it off starting bid at 10k and see what happens. You can always cancel the auction on EBay. A item is only worth what it sells for. Prices are wishes.
"if it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all."
Dude, if you distrust WATA/Heritage that much then get rid of that "stupid" WATA box and be done with it. We all know you wouldn't do that because the WATA grading "stupid" box is what makes your game worth what it is....REGARDLESS of what you think of them. VGA is no different if you think you're getting a better deal.
BTW, Karl Jobst is NOT NEW to creating these "controversy" content to get SUBS and VIEWS. Karl is doing exactly what he's accusing others of doing. I have ZERO trust in his story or his views.
I used to work at egghead computers in the '90s. We would open up the games, take them home and play them, bring them back to the store, and shrink wrap them. Can you believe it, there's shrink wrap machines LOL. I hope a copy of monkey Island that I ripped open in 96 is in some wata sealed plastic case. I'm sure the experts there can tell where the shrink wrap came from.
Makes no sense how grading a video game gives it a 10 fold price increase. Ive collected games and comics for years, no other market acts like this.
Keep it in the WATA case. When they die you'll have an even cooler story behind the SEALED SMB3 on you shelf.
I would just throw it on eBay and see what happens. Thanks for the great video!
Wata only causing a boom in retro game prices, and making certain resellers think they can sell almost any game at stupid prices.
If you have already spent the time and money on it, leave it slabbed with the WATA shell, enjoy the hell out of it, and be proud that you dodged immorality AND preserved that seal forever. I think you’ve done all you can and now you own a staple piece as a real pure-hearted collector.