Vintage gaming equipment, especially unique pieces, often carries hefty price tags. But what price would you put on a gold-plated Nintendo Wii console originally intended for Queen Elizabeth II? This one-of-a-kind console, estimated to be worth between $40,000 and $14,000, was created by THQ as a marketing stunt to promote the release of Big Family Games.
The 24K gold-plated console was originally sent to Queen Elizabeth II as a gift, but due to royal protocol prohibiting the acceptance of ‘unsolicited gifts,’ it never reached its intended recipient. The console, however, found its way into the hands of a collector and eventually to ConsoleVariations, a database dedicated to consoles, where it was showcased for the first time at Gamescom 2024 in Cologne, Germany.
The Gamescom 2024 event also featured a unique glimpse into gaming history with the unveiling of a high-definition photograph of a rare GameCube prototype, codenamed ‘Dolphin.’ This rare artifact provides a fascinating look into the early development stages of the popular Nintendo console, capturing the imagination of gaming enthusiasts around the world.
