An extremely rare first-edition copy of Pokemon Blue with a misprinted back has been unearthed after sitting in a closet for 17 years. The find is potentially worth thousands of dollars, underlining the ever-growing demand for Pokemon rarities.
October 15 will mark the 19th anniversary of Pokemon Blue releasing in Japan as Pocket Monsters Blue. An English-language version of the game launched alongside Pokemon Red in North America on September 28, 1998, followed by European and Australian debuts the following month.
First-Edition Pokemon Blue Misprint Discovered Sitting in a Closet
Nearly two decades later, a sealed copy of Pokemon Blue was unearthed by Reddit user SausageNPeppers, who discovered it sitting in a closet. After they shared their find on social media, several eagle-eyed fans noticed that this wasn’t just any copy of the game, pointing out that the text on its backside erroneously refers to the title as Pokemon Red. This misprint is a quirk seen only on the earliest English-language boxes, with collectors nicknaming it the “Red text” variant of the first-edition Pokemon Blue.
Reflecting on this discovery, SausageNPeppers revealed that 17 years ago, their parents bought several Pokemon games for them and their sister as Christmas gifts. “They thought Blue and Red were unique games so we got both,” the fan recalled. More specifically, their Christmas gifts included two Pokemon Red copies, as well as a pair of Pokemon Blue games. While both Red variants were opened and played, at least one Pokemon Blue “sat in the closet for decades,” SausageNPeppers explained.
Sealed First-Edition Pokemon Blue Misprint Is Potentially Worth Thousands of Dollars
Looking at the second-hand market, copies of Pokemon Blue with the Red text on the back are regularly listed for hundreds of dollars. One such item is currently available on eBay, with the seller asking for $599 for a copy in an “acceptable” condition. However, the fact that SausageNPeppers’ game is sealed makes it significantly more valuable to collectors. Given its condition, the copy could feasibly be graded for a boost in value. This exact misprint with a WATA 9.6 grade is currently listed for $126,000 on eBay, though it has yet to find a buyer.
SausageN did not say whether they are planning on selling the newly discovered game after being informed of its potential value. However, they did confirm that they would get it graded. With a misprint of this sort, even a low grade could still command a price comparable to the regular copies of the rarest Pokemon games out there.
