Welcome to the first edition of our new article series called Retro Relics, a magazine series dedicated to finding unique retro items on eBay that gamers and collectors may find of interest, or to add to their collection.
It was created from my interest in navigating the marketplace to find things I never knew existed or have a genuine interest in. I often stumble across gems or random pop culture items of the past that I think you may also be excited to see.
Now and then, items from my collection may feature in here as I have picked up some very odd and highly collectible things in the past.
So, sit back, grab a cuppa, and enjoy a scroll through this month's retro relics of eBay. ☕️
Apple Quartz Watch (1995)
Apple Mac OS
Our editor-in-chief spotted this absolute gem recently; it's a rare vintage watch by Apple released in 1995 and was given to customers as a gift when they upgraded their Macintosh to System 7.5.
There was a choice between the Apple Watch and a piece of software called Conflict Catcher from Casady & Greene, which is a start-up manager and "problem-solver" for Mac.
Customers had to upgrade their Macintosh to System 7.5 between May 1st and July 31st to be one of the lucky few to receive the gift. Customers would have to visit their nearest reseller and ask for a coupon to be able to snag one.
The watch is beautifully designed and incredibly minimal, but filled with nostalgic colours and the iconic coloured Apple logo, which adds to the fun vibes of the watch.
If you're a watch collector and want what is likely to be Apple's first-ever limited-edition watch, then this is for you.
Sealed & Superb Condition Legend of Zelda on NES (1987)
It's rare to see a game of this age in this type of condition, and even rarer when it's still sealed. This is one of the most popular games ever made, The Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
It's a collector's prized possession, and it's becoming clearer that fewer and fewer of these are becoming available ungraded and sealed, opening up an opportunity for those of you who don't grade but want it as a part of your collection, or an opportunity for those who want to grade it to increase its value to other collectors.
Iconic games like this deserve to be kept in mint condition because 25, 50, 100 years from now, these things will be heirlooms of the gaming industry.
GAME BOY Shampoo (1995)
Takara
I vividly remember these types of shampoo bottles as a kid. Here in the UK, we rarely have themed ones such as this GAME BOY variant, which I was incredibly close to buying.
This is one that was released in Japan in 1995 to celebrate the release of Kirby's Dreamland 2 on the original GAME BOY DMG. It is unknown how many were made.
Inside the screen, you will see a pachinko-like water game, where you move the balls by shooting air to either side of the toy using the A and B buttons. The goal is to balance the balls successfully.
It's a weird and wacky product for GAME BOY collectors, that's for sure.
Mickey Mouse Gum Cards (1935)
Direct from COMC
I collect trading cards from the 90s/early 2000s and have done so ever since I was a kid, so I often get random recommendations on my feeds. One set of cards that I have never seen is these Mickey Mouse cards from 1935.
This card set was manufactured by Philadelphia Gum in the United States and comes in a set of 120 cards in total. These types of non-sports cards are incredibly rare, feature nostalgic colours and beautifully hand-illustrated scenes of Mickey and co.
The back of the cards features Mickey Mouse jokes, trivia questions, and an advertisement for a Mickey Mouse binder to hold the trading cards.
I am no trading card market expert, but due to the rarity and condition of these cards, alongside the immense growth of Disney, these are likely to hold their value if not grow over the coming years. But again, this is not financial advice, just a hunch.
Pingu Edition PlayStation 1 Controller (1999)
You may not be aware of how underrated Pingu is as a character and as a brand. Although in western parts of the world, the penguin's "hype" has diminished (but is slowly coming back, I believe), in Japan, it's booming still.
During the late 90s and early 2000s when Pingu was never off our screens, the marketing team were hard at work building products and starting collaborations.
One of the coolest is this limited edition PlayStation 1 controller that features Pingu and his younger sister Pinga, which was exclusive to Japan when it launched in November 1999.
Pokemon TCG 2 Game Boy Color Magazine (2001) + RARE Dark Fearow
Pokémon Trading Card Game 2 was a Game Boy Color game that didn't release outside of Japan, yet was well received by Poke'enthusiasts of the original in the early 2000s.
In typical Pokémon fashion, during that time, Pokémon released a wide range of promotional materials for their games, and one that I want to focus on is this magazine about the video game, which features a rare Dark Fearow trading card.
This trading card is part of a promotional set for the GAME BOY and features around 10 - 15 cards, but the only way to get this Dark Fearow was by purchasing a copy of this magazine.
It's an incredibly rare card, with limited numbers in the wild, and even more limited ones in good condition. It's a card I have wanted for some time now, as I have the Dragonite Holo Promo that was released in Japan for the GAME BOY promotion during that time too.
And with the rise of popularity around "Team Rocket" focused Pokémon cards, I think this is a good snag to add to your collection if you're a fan of both the trading card game and the GAME BOY games.
Official Japanese Nintendo GameCube Cary Case (Super Mario Sunshine Edition)
If you're like me (and I hate to admit this), then your GameCube is likely stored in a cardboard box somewhere, hidden from light and likely crying in a corner by itself.
Well, there are unique and very retro ways of storing that beloved console, officially, too, like this very rare Japanese Super Mario Sunshine carry case with enough compartments to fit your console, games, cables, and two controllers in the front.
Storage cases like these are hard to come by, likely because they are somewhat fragile and many were chucked away years after release because of that, but it's a unique addition to any Gamecube collection nonetheless and one that will look pretty damn cool are your next gaming party.
Official Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Vintage Cap
This is a new niche for me, one I was introduced to in our recent video on a visit to Retro-sect, a retro gaming-focused store here in the UK.
The store's owner, Ben, made me aware that there is an ever-growing demand for vintage retro gaming clothing. Collectors are going mad for it, and I can see why. Some of the official retro clothes released in the 90s by Nintendo, SEGA and even XBOX were stunning.
This Sonic The Hedgehog 3 vintage cap is one that I have been eyeing up, and diving deeper, vintage caps are one of the most popular fashion items, with prices ranging into the hundreds for rare caps.
This cap was released as a promotional product for the SEGA Genesis in the USA when Sonic The Hedgehog 3 was released, and I love the simple logo design and back embroidery that says "ZOOM OR DOOM".
Worth a snag if you collect vintage caps!
And there you have it, a look at our first Issue of Retro Relics, an exploration of the coolest retro products on eBay, hopefully igniting a nostalgic overload for you, all while giving you possible opportunities to snag gems for your collection!
