Update, April 10: Initial community reports suggesting that the prototype cartridge sold for over $60,000 were incorrect, as the purchase price was actually $45,000. The text below has been updated to reflect the correct figure.
Original story, April 9: Every time a rare piece of video game history goes up for sale, the preservation community holds its collective breath. Will that item be made available for historians to study, or will it rot in a collector's horde forever? That was the fear when an extremely unique prototype of Nintendo classic Punch-Out was auctioned off for $45,000 earlier this year. Luckily, the anonymous collector who paid out for the likely one-of-a-kind cartridge has made the good guy move.
