PSA Certifies 1998 Pokémon Red Prototype at Goldin Auction
Specialists verified a Game Boy development cartridge with header quirks, drawing a single opening bid of $25,000.
By Nicholas Martin ·
Goldin Auction lists a 1998 Pokémon Red prototype for the Nintendo Game Boy with one current bid of $25,000. The listing went live on October 23, 2026. Retro Dodo first identified the item as "incredibly rare."
PSA specialists authenticated the cartridge but could only read the first 32KB of its data. The firm labeled this partial read "technically unique." PSA stated the visible game data is "completely identical" to the U.S. retail version. The company expects the unreadable sections to match as well.
The authentication report notes two specific differences in the ROM header. Offset 0x014C, which denotes the Mask ROM version, reads 55 instead of 00. This error changes the calculated checksum at offset 0x014D to CB rather than 20. Neither change affects gameplay.
Physical markings on the cartridge include a sticker reading DMB-MBC-16M-FLASH and part number DMG-(F)KGDB-01. The report interprets DMB as an abbreviation for Dot Matrix Game, the console's original codename. MBC likely refers to the Memory Bank Controller chip. That component allowed games to exceed the standard 32KB limit. The 16M designation indicates 16 megabits of flash-writable memory. The cartridge is physically longer than a standard Game Boy unit.
The auction labels the board "previously undocumented," though the part number appears in other records. The Rare Gaming Dump wiki lists the same number for a 2000 development cartridge. That earlier item also used a 16-megabit Sharp flash chip. Images show a nearly identical design, with a sticker reading DMG-MBC3-16M-FLASH.
Pokémon Red launched the global franchise in the 1990s. Red and Blue versions combined have sold more than 31 million copies. The auction remains open for several days. A reader comment suggests this copy is a functional master derived from a 2015 sale of demo cartridges by a Nintendo employee. That claim is unverified.
The current bidder holds the piece at $25,000. Additional bidding may raise the final price before the auction closes.
Source: Tom's Hardware
