Unopened 1996 Pocket Monsters Red Sells for Record $146,400

An unopened Japanese copy of Pocket Monsters Red for the Nintendo Game Boy has sold for $146,400 at Goldin, setting a new record for the title.

Goldin announced the result after the 1996 Japanese release closed in one of its Elite Auctions, calling the $146,400 price a new record for any copy of Pocket Monsters Red. The game is the Japanese predecessor to Pokémon Red, one of the titles that launched the Pokémon franchise on Nintendo’s Game Boy.

Released in Japan in 1996, Pocket Monsters Red was part of the original generation of Pokémon games alongside Pocket Monsters Green. The games introduced players to the world, characters and creatures that would become the foundation of the Pokémon franchise.

The Goldin example remained unopened, making it particularly notable for collectors seeking early Pokémon games in their original packaging. According to the auction listing, the game was manufactured in Japan and retains its original packaging from the first era of Pokémon’s history.

The sale comes as high-end collectors continue to pursue early Pokémon material across multiple categories, including trading cards, sealed video games and promotional items.

While Pokémon card records have reached into the millions of dollars, the Goldin result shows that unopened video games from the franchise’s earliest years can also command six-figure prices.

The Japanese release is especially significant because it predates the franchise’s arrival in North America, where Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue would later introduce millions of players to the series.