Lego Super Mario coins that hit $500 on eBay make stealthy appearance in stores

Mario and Luigi have made their mark as one of the most iconic pairs in video game history, so it was only a matter of time before LEGO dedicated a whole collection to the plumber brothers.

The LEGO 71360 Adventures with Mario Starter Course kicked off the first of its themed interactive experience, with a bunch of expansion packs like the 71391 Bowser’s Airship, as well as the 71387 Adventures with Luigi Starter Course, released thereafter for richer, more varied gameplay.

For the collectors, there’s now a chance to better enjoy the Super Mario brick journey in stylish fashion, as the highly sought-after gold and silver LEGO Super Mario coins are currently being handed out in stores.

There’s a catch, however – they won’t be available in every region around the world, with only United Kingdom, North America, and Australia on the list for now.

According to The Brick Post, the coins were supposed to be distributed alongside the worldwide launch of the Luigi Starter Course play set last week, but didn’t arrive in stores in time for Aug 1, 2021.

It should also be noted that there seems to be no fixed way of obtaining them, with each store reported to have its own redemption mechanic, so the best shot is to check with the respective store directly. If you’re lucky, you may just get your hands on one just from asking the staff.

Originally distributed through a Hong Kong-exclusive promotion in February this year, these coins have enjoyed hefty prices on the aftermarket, hitting up to US$370 (S$503) on eBay.

Their value is dropping now, however, with the average pricing hovering around £30 (S$56) to £50 on the UK website.

It’s unknown if this will be rolled out to other regions like Asia, but in case it does, we won’t be surprised to find them sitting prettily on the shelves out of the blue, considering their sudden, quiet appearance in the UK. Fingers crossed!

ALSO READ: LEGO's first interactive Super Mario set launches on Aug 1

This article was first published in Geek Culture.