VGS rare variant/error thread Nintendo edition

[Ferris Bueller | 495]

3 hours ago, Stormarov.45 said:

When Nintendo fab facilities switch from the 3 screw to 5 screw clamshell design they had left over 5 screw stock. The the machines that assemble them literally have to be refitted they could not use the 5 screw in the machines anymore. So they moved all remaining 5 screw clamshell stock to the repair department.

Back then you could pay Nintendo to replace a broken clamshell (or they would replace them for free from broken sealed stock and etc...) and often they would switch these on damaged or broken clamshells on games that came in for board repair/defects.  When they did this, they had the 5 screw clamshells available. And because of this sometimes you see a 5 screw cart with the star shaped security screws in it.

So when you see this, if you don't suspect forgery or board swapping, then it was likely sent to a repair facility.

Do you know this as fact, or just making a guess? It sounds like you may have firsthand knowledge. Did you use to work at a repair center or NoA? Would love to have this settled once and for all.

[3rdStrongestMole | 430]

@Stormarov.45

Yeah, this would be huge info to have if you have firsthand knowledge. 

[PII | 1,886]

@Funky_brewsta Could you post a back pic. of the 5-Screw R.C. Pro-Am cart?

Circuit Board would be helpful as well...

Edited August 5, 2021 by PII

[guitarzombie | 924]

8 hours ago, Stormarov.45 said:

When Nintendo fab facilities switch from the 3 screw to 5 screw clamshell design they had left over 5 screw stock. The the machines that assemble them literally have to be refitted they could not use the 5 screw in the machines anymore. So they moved all remaining 5 screw clamshell stock to the repair department.

Back then you could pay Nintendo to replace a broken clamshell (or they would replace them for free from broken sealed stock and etc...) and often they would switch these on damaged or broken clamshells on games that came in for board repair/defects.  When they did this, they had the 5 screw clamshells available. And because of this sometimes you see a 5 screw cart with the star shaped security screws in it.

So when you see this, if you don't suspect forgery or board swapping, then it was likely sent to a repair facility.

Oh I wasn't, but I didn't know that was the case.  Totally plausible.  My only question is how did they get the label?  They printed only one label?  Were extra labels printed just in case?

[Funky_brewsta | 42]

6 hours ago, PII said:

@Funky_brewsta Could you post a back pic. of the 5-Screw R.C. Pro-Am cart?

Circuit Board would be helpful as well...

 

Edited August 6, 2021 by Funky_brewsta
* Added a better pic to see the board

[PII | 1,886]

IIRC, I mentioned in an earlier post that I had seen a pic somewhere online of a 5-Screw R.C. Pro-Am with a Back Label.

I see here security screws and a chip date for mid October of 1988.  I know the game came out in 88 and if I have it right it was February of 88.

Personally I'm not aware of any other evidence of a 5-Screw game coming out after December 1987 (Mega man)[not including the Konami/Ultra Oddities, of course.]

Thanks, @Funky_brewsta!  And nice find.

[ThePhleo | 2,185]

These 5 screw R.C. Pro-Am’s keep popping up though. This is the third or fourth one I’ve seen now.

I wonder if this is literally just leftover shells that Nintendo dug up during a print run.

[PII | 1,886]

22 minutes ago, ThePhleo said:

These 5 screw R.C. Pro-Am’s keep popping up though. This is the third or fourth one I’ve seen now.

I wonder if this is literally just leftover shells that Nintendo dug up during a print run.

That would be my 1st guess.

3rd or 4th recently?  If so, where have you seen these pop up?

[ThePhleo | 2,185]

7 hours ago, PII said:

That would be my 1st guess.

3rd or 4th recently?  If so, where have you seen these pop up?

Recently.

I seen the “original” one on Facebook for sale, and then another collector posted his copy in the comments.

Im pretty sure he wanted $1000 for it?

[3rdStrongestMole | 430]

6 minutes ago, ThePhleo said:

Recently.

I seen the “original” one on Facebook for sale, and then another collector posted his copy in the comments.

Im pretty sure he wanted $1000 for it?

Great. Not even screw variants are safe now.  Looks like scrutinizing the labels is going to be an increasing necessity... even on obscure variants like this

[guitarzombie | 924]

10 hours ago, ThePhleo said:

These 5 screw R.C. Pro-Am’s keep popping up though. This is the third or fourth one I’ve seen now.

I wonder if this is literally just leftover shells that Nintendo dug up during a print run.

Oh yeah?  I thought it still was only 1.  Still, I'm never fully convinced of these being official when there's such a small sample size.  Aside from the obvious SE but thats already rare to begin with.  Personally, once I start to see more like 20, then I feel its a more legit thing.  Like how many we've seen of MM/MTPO/Gotcha/Star Force, compared to Jaws/Alpha Mission etc.

I mean there are 3, 3 screw DKJ Maths that were obviously re-furbs.

[ThePhleo | 2,185]

1 hour ago, guitarzombie said:

Oh yeah?  I thought it still was only 1.  Still, I'm never fully convinced of these being official when there's such a small sample size.  Aside from the obvious SE but thats already rare to begin with.  Personally, once I start to see more like 20, then I feel its a more legit thing.  Like how many we've seen of MM/MTPO/Gotcha/Star Force, compared to Jaws/Alpha Mission etc.

I mean there are 3, 3 screw DKJ Maths that were obviously re-furbs.

My hard number is “3” minimum.

Once I see three I start to consider it a variant…unless there’s some REALLY damning evidence then I’ll consider one or two copies (e.g. three screw stinger has a known REV-a box)

But I think I myself will update that number because there’s still not enough solid info about this 5-screw RC Pro-AM. Like, Konami & Ultra can be easily linked together so they’re not “stranger than they need to be”, but Nintendo?

I myself for now consider this a “suspected variant” with more info needed….same as the 3-screw DK Math’s. @Braveheart69 has one with a sticker on the back with no factory stamp.

[Divingninja | 47]

11 minutes ago, ThePhleo said:

My hard number is “3” minimum.

Once I see three I start to consider it a variant…unless there’s some REALLY damning evidence then I’ll consider one or two copies (e.g. three screw stinger has a known REV-a box)

But I think I myself will update that number because there’s still not enough solid info about this 5-screw RC Pro-AM. Like, Konami & Ultra can be easily linked together so they’re not “stranger than they need to be”, but Nintendo?

I myself for now consider this a “suspected variant” with more info needed….same as the 3-screw DK Math’s. @Braveheart69 has one with a sticker on the back with no factory stamp.

Agree, if not multiple copies or the known evidence that makes sense to exist, then it is less a variant to me and more an "error" cart in my opinion. 

Still cool and fun, but not really a variant.

[guitarzombie | 924]

31 minutes ago, ThePhleo said:

My hard number is “3” minimum.

Once I see three I start to consider it a variant…unless there’s some REALLY damning evidence then I’ll consider one or two copies (e.g. three screw stinger has a known REV-a box)

But I think I myself will update that number because there’s still not enough solid info about this 5-screw RC Pro-AM. Like, Konami & Ultra can be easily linked together so they’re not “stranger than they need to be”, but Nintendo?

I myself for now consider this a “suspected variant” with more info needed….same as the 3-screw DK Math’s. @Braveheart69 has one with a sticker on the back with no factory stamp.

Im sure i've said this, but I've seen all the chip dates for the 3 scre DKJR Maths and all were printed in the same 86 batch.  So they have to be refurbs.  My 5 MTPO has no factory stamp on the back sticker either.  

[PII | 1,886]

just realized there was a whole thread about this a while back that somehow slipped by the PII sensors...

[DaBaddestHic | 1]

Found this thread while searching for a forum for other NES collectors.  I don't seem to have any of the rare cart variants, but I do have one of the SMB 3 Challenge Box boxes with the sideways sticker.  Unfortunately as a kid I tried to take the tape off and maybe half of the tape is ripped off, with some of the box as well.

Does anyone know how much a good condition box with the sideways sticker has sold for?  Or how rare it actually is.  Just wondering how much childhood me cost present me haha.  Couldn't find any listings on ebay for it.

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

10 hours ago, DaBaddestHic said:

Found this thread while searching for a forum for other NES collectors.  I don't seem to have any of the rare cart variants, but I do have one of the SMB 3 Challenge Box boxes with the sideways sticker.  Unfortunately as a kid I tried to take the tape off and maybe half of the tape is ripped off, with some of the box as well.

Does anyone know how much a good condition box with the sideways sticker has sold for?  Or how rare it actually is.  Just wondering how much childhood me cost present me haha.  Couldn't find any listings on ebay for it.

You'll find lots of long time NES collectors here

Post a picture of your item and all the smarty pants will come out of the woodwork and let you know what they think...

[PII | 1,886]

So this just popped up

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174891889263?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l1120&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=9b2d9e0f6f47479bb17954a41e6b3dbf&bu=43000980178&ut=RU&osub=-1~1&crd=20210815014429&segname=11021&sojTags=ch%3Dch%2Cbu%3Dbu%2Cut%3Dut%2Cosub%3Dosub%2Ccrd%3Dcrd%2Csegname%3Dsegname%2Cchnl%3Dmkcid

I thought maybe there'd be some others besides myself who'd like to scrutinize it a bit.

[Goodvibes | 158]

4 hours ago, PII said:

So this just popped up

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174891889263?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l1120&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=9b2d9e0f6f47479bb17954a41e6b3dbf&bu=43000980178&ut=RU&osub=-1~1&crd=20210815014429&segname=11021&sojTags=ch%3Dch%2Cbu%3Dbu%2Cut%3Dut%2Cosub%3Dosub%2Ccrd%3Dcrd%2Csegname%3Dsegname%2Cchnl%3Dmkcid

I thought maybe there'd be some others besides myself who'd like to scrutinize it a bit.

Wonder what it sold for that it’s already pulled. Anyone able to see the chip dates on the board?

[PII | 1,886]

3 hours ago, Goodvibes said:

Wonder what it sold for that it’s already pulled. Anyone able to see the chip dates on the board?

Well that lasted a whopping inside 24 hours.

It's still viewable, just click "see original listing."  

I saw 8851.   Also cracked open my normal contra which has 8834 and 8841 as well as an alternate layout/make for the chips which is not an uncommon occurrence...

[Goodvibes | 158]

8 minutes ago, PII said:

Well that lasted a whopping inside 24 hours.

It's still viewable, just click "see original listing."  

I saw 8851.   Also cracked open my normal contra which has 8834 and 8841 as well as an alternate layout/make for the chips which is not an uncommon occurrence...

Thanks, yeah I did view it I just can’t zoom in on my phone. Thanks for the dates.

I would love to find one of them in the wild that’s for sure

Edited August 15, 2021 by Goodvibes

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

9 hours ago, PII said:

So this just popped up

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174891889263?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l1120&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=9b2d9e0f6f47479bb17954a41e6b3dbf&bu=43000980178&ut=RU&osub=-1~1&crd=20210815014429&segname=11021&sojTags=ch%3Dch%2Cbu%3Dbu%2Cut%3Dut%2Cosub%3Dosub%2Ccrd%3Dcrd%2Csegname%3Dsegname%2Cchnl%3Dmkcid

I thought maybe there'd be some others besides myself who'd like to scrutinize it a bit.

Considering the publisher is Konami, this item falls within the realm of believability.  It's even got the no-label cart back that Ultra/Konami refurbished games are found with.  So either it's real, or the seller really did his homework...

Edited August 15, 2021 by Dr. Morbis

[PII | 1,886]

3 minutes ago, Dr. Morbis said:

Considering the publisher

Are you referring to the seller?    as in publisher = ebay seller.

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

2 minutes ago, PII said:

Are you referring to the seller?    as in publisher = ebay seller.

I meant NES publisher, as in Konami.  I'll edit my post to reflect that...

And also, the date codes are entirely irrelevant since the only way this can legitimately exist is as a cart refurbished by Konami, meaning the game could have been sent back to them at any time from any print run...

Edited August 15, 2021 by Dr. Morbis

[phart010 | 1,707]

9 hours ago, Goodvibes said:

Thanks, yeah I did view it I just can’t zoom in on my phone. Thanks for the dates.

I would love to find one of them in the wild that’s for sure

Pro-tip: view the ended auction on your phone. Then “Request Desktop Website” or “view in Desktop Mode”

On iPhone, you can do this easily by clicking on the “AA” to the left of the URL. Now eBay takes you back to the main page in desktop mode. Find the auction under your “Recently viewed” items.

while you are looking at the auction photos in desktop mode, the photos are in much higher resolution