An original painting created for a 1981 Donkey Kong arcade flyer sold for $329,400 USD at Landry Pop Auctions, making it the most expensive piece of original video game art sold at auction. Illustrated by Leslie Cabarga, the work features Mario in his first public appearance, when the character was known as Jumpman.
The image shows Donkey Kong holding a barrel as Jumpman climbs a skyscraper to rescue Pauline. It was made with acrylic on acetate over ink and airbrush, on a cardstock board measuring 19⅞ by 16⅜ inches.
Donna Darbous, a former Nintendo of America employee, saved the artwork from being discarded during an office cleanout. The sale far exceeded its presale estimate of $100,000 to $150,000 and surpassed the previous record of $63,000, set in 2023 by original Prince of Persia cover art.
The artwork was the centerpiece of Landry Pop Auctions’ “Jumpman: The Beginning of an Icon” event. Other items sold included early Super Mario Bros. production art of Mario and Luigi for $17,080 and a graded 1985 NES cartridge for $34,160.
Sources: Hypebeast.