Contra Nintendo NES: PSA Pop Report + Loose / CIB / Sealed Prices
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PSA has graded 142 Contra Nintendo NES copies on record — 4 loose, 90 CIB, 48 sealed. PSA tracks 3 distinct production variants separately because they’re priced differently by collectors. Sealed copies trade for $1,258+ on the open market. This page is the per-game pop + price + grading reference for Contra on Nintendo NES — updated weekly from PSA’s official population data and PriceCharting’s market catalog.
Quick Facts
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Title: Contra
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Console: Nintendo NES
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Variants tracked by PSA: 3
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Total PSA-graded copies: 142 (Loose: 4 · CIB: 90 · Sealed: 48)
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PriceCharting market data: available
Variant Comparison
PSA recognizes 3 distinct production variants of Contra, each tracked on its own population row because collectors value them differently. The variants this game discriminates on: USA-region production code labeling.
| Variant | Loose Pop | CIB Pop | Sealed Pop | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Screw, Round SOQ - USA Code | 3 | — | — | 3 |
| 5 Screw | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| Made in Japan | — | 90 | 48 | 138 |
PSA Pop by Condition
PSA tracks Contra populations independently for loose carts, complete-in-box (CIB), and factory-sealed copies — collectors price each condition separately because rarity and demand diverge sharply. Tables below show the grade-tier breakdown per condition, aggregated across 3 variants PSA recognizes for this title.
Loose Cartridge
Total graded: 4
| Variant | Pop | Grade Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Screw, Round SOQ - USA Code | 3 | 7.0: 1 · 6.5: 1 · <6.5: 1 |
| 5 Screw | 1 | 7.5: 1 |
PSA has not graded the following variant in this condition: Made in Japan.
Complete in Box (CIB)
Total graded: 90
| Variant | Pop | Grade Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Made in Japan | 90 | 9.6: 2 · 9.4: 7 · 9.2: 13 · 9.0: 9 · 8.5: 12 · 8.0: 12 · 7.5: 14 · 7.0: 12 · 6.5: 4 · <6.5: 5 |
PSA has not graded the following variants in this condition: 3 Screw, Round SOQ - USA Code · 5 Screw.
Factory Sealed
Total graded: 48
Sealed summary by variant:
| Variant | Total Pop | Top Numeric Grade | Best Seal Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made in Japan | 48 | 9.8 | A++ |
Factory Sealed Grade × Seal Matrix
Rows show PSA numeric grades. Columns show seal grades. Cell values are PSA population counts. Aggregated across all variants. Top observed grade: 9.8 (PSA scale extends to 10).
| Grade | A++ | A+ | A | B+ | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.8 | — | 2 | — | — | 2 |
| 9.6 | 2 | 7 | 1 | — | 10 |
| 9.4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | 6 |
| 9.2 | — | 9 | 1 | — | 10 |
| 9.0 | — | 5 | 2 | — | 7 |
| 8.5 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 8.0 | — | 3 | — | 1 | 4 |
| 7.5 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| 7.0 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Total | 3 | 30 | 10 | 5 | 48 |
PSA has not graded the following variants in this condition: 3 Screw, Round SOQ - USA Code · 5 Screw.
Current Market Prices
All prices below are pulled directly from PriceCharting’s public catalog and refreshed each time this article regenerates (typically weekly). PriceCharting computes their values from active and recently-sold listings on eBay + their dealer network — independent of any data on this page. The Sealed column reflects PriceCharting’s “manual-only” / new tier — factory-sealed retail at average condition; specific graded-sealed prices vary sharply by numeric grade + seal letter (use the Sealed eBay browse link below for grade-specific comps).
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Loose cartridge: $38
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Complete in Box (CIB): $152
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Sealed: $1,258
All 3 PSA-tracked variants share the same PriceCharting prices because PriceCharting indexes at the title level, not the variant level. Variant-specific pricing surfaces on eBay sold-comp data — check the Sealed / CIB / Loose browse links below for variant-aware market signals.
Heritage Graded Sales
Heritage Auctions sold results below are real auction transactions for Contra on Nintendo NES. They complement the PriceCharting loose / CIB / sealed benchmarks above; they are not estimates and they are not blended into PriceCharting’s ungraded market prices.
Summary rows are title-level Heritage sale signals, sorted by format, recency, and realized-price signal. PSA production variants can price differently, so the sale records keep Heritage’s own variant notes visible instead of pretending every auction lot maps cleanly to a PSA variant row.
High-grade games can trade years apart, so older auction records stay visible; treat the latest-sale date as part of the comp, not just the dollar amount.
| Format | Grade | Sale signal | Latest sale | Comps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Factory sealed (Rev A Round Soq) | WATA 9.6 A+ | Median $14,444 | Mar 28, 2026 | 4 |
| Factory sealed (Rev A Round Soq) | WATA 9.2 A+ | Median $12,000 | Nov 22, 2025 | 7 |
| Factory sealed (Rev A Round Soq) | CGC 9.4 A+ | $8,400-$8,750 range | Aug 24, 2024 | 2 |
| Factory sealed (Rev A Round Soq) | WATA 9.4 A+ | Last sale $7,500 | Aug 23, 2025 | 1 |
| Factory sealed (Rev A Round Soq) | VGA 80+ | Last sale $3,500 | Jan 22, 2026 | 1 |
| Factory sealed (Rev A Round Soq) | WATA 9.8 A+ | Last sale $150,000 | Jul 9, 2021 | 1 |
| Factory sealed (Rev A Round Soq) | WATA 9.2 A | Last sale $21,600 | Apr 22, 2022 | 1 |
| Factory sealed (Round Soq Early Production) | WATA 9.4 A | Last sale $21,600 | Jul 12, 2020 | 1 |
| Factory sealed (Rev A Round Soq) | WATA 9.6 A++ | Last sale $20,000 | May 25, 2024 | 1 |
| Factory sealed (Rev A Round Soq) | WATA 8.0 A+ | $9,600-$15,600 range | Apr 22, 2022 | 2 |
| Factory sealed (Rev A Round Soq) | WATA 9.6 B+ | Last sale $15,000 | Aug 7, 2022 | 1 |
| Factory sealed (Rev A Round Soq) | WATA 9.4 A | Last sale $14,401 | Nov 4, 2022 | 1 |
Showing the top 12 Heritage sale signals; the sale-record table below includes every Heritage auction sale used on this page.
Sale records:
View all 48 Heritage sale records
| Date | Sold For | Grader / Grade | Format | Variant Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 7, 2026 | $688 | WATA 9.0 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 312614-66010 |
| Mar 28, 2026 | $8,750 | WATA 9.6 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7452-28006 |
| Jan 22, 2026 | $3,500 | VGA 80+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 44343-79003 |
| Nov 22, 2025 | $5,000 | WATA 9.2 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7428-28005 |
| Oct 30, 2025 | $688 | WATA 9.2 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 44331-80012 |
| Oct 7, 2025 | $500 | WATA 9.2 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 312540-66008 |
| Aug 23, 2025 | $7,500 | WATA 9.4 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7416-28006 |
| Jul 29, 2025 | $325 | WATA 7.5 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 312530-70005 |
| May 24, 2025 | $9,688 | WATA 9.6 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7415-28010 |
| Feb 22, 2025 | $6,875 | WATA 9.2 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7411-28006 |
| Nov 23, 2024 | $7,812 | WATA 9.2 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7382-28008 |
| Aug 24, 2024 | $8,750 | CGC 9.4 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7378-28008 |
| May 25, 2024 | $20,000 | WATA 9.6 A++ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7372-28010 |
| May 25, 2024 | $7,500 | VGA 85 | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7372-28011 |
| Mar 21, 2024 | $3,000 | WATA 8.5 B+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 44238-79006 |
| Feb 8, 2024 | $468 | WATA 9.0 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 44235-79028 |
| Nov 4, 2023 | $1,020 | WATA 9.2 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7350-28203 |
| Aug 10, 2023 | $384 | CGC 8.5 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 44206-79016 |
| Jul 28, 2023 | $11,400 | WATA 9.6 A | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7349-28013 |
| Jul 28, 2023 | $8,400 | CGC 9.4 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7349-28014 |
| Apr 22, 2023 | $11,100 | VGA 85 | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7307-28021 |
| Apr 22, 2023 | $1,320 | WATA 9.2 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7307-28175 |
| Feb 28, 2023 | $2,410 | WATA 7.0 B+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 312309-69023 |
| Jan 20, 2023 | $19,200 | WATA 9.6 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7348-28010 |
| Nov 4, 2022 | $14,401 | WATA 9.4 A | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7290-28014 |
| Sep 29, 2022 | $10,800 | WATA 9.2 A | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq the Plattsburgh Collection | Lot 44172-80015 |
| Sep 29, 2022 | $5,040 | WATA 8.0 B+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 44172-80016 |
| Aug 30, 2022 | $12,000 | WATA 9.2 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 312235-70033 |
| Aug 9, 2022 | $4,320 | VGA 75 | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 312232-67022 |
| Aug 7, 2022 | $15,600 | WATA 9.2 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7288-28017 |
| Aug 7, 2022 | $15,000 | WATA 9.6 B+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7288-28016 |
| Apr 22, 2022 | $21,600 | WATA 9.2 A | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7286-28016 |
| Apr 22, 2022 | $9,600 | WATA 8.0 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7286-28017 |
| Mar 22, 2022 | $192 | WATA 6.0 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 312212-69036 |
| Jan 18, 2022 | $660 | WATA 8.0 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 312203-68031 |
| Oct 29, 2021 | $60,000 | WATA 9.6 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7263-28011 |
| Oct 29, 2021 | $28,800 | WATA 9.2 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7263-28012 |
| Jul 11, 2021 | $15,600 | WATA 8.0 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7261-29026 |
| Jul 9, 2021 | $150,000 | WATA 9.8 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7261-28013 |
| Jun 22, 2021 | $492 | WATA 8.0 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 312125-69049 |
| Jun 8, 2021 | $720 | WATA 8.0 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 312123-66035 |
| Apr 13, 2021 | $660 | WATA 7.0 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 312115-67031 |
| Feb 22, 2021 | $960 | WATA 8.5 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 122108-18045 |
| Jan 17, 2021 | $31,200 | WATA 9.2 A+ | Factory sealed | Rev A Round Soq | Lot 7239-93007 |
| Nov 22, 2020 | $1,800 | WATA 9.2 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq Early Production | Lot 7236-97079 |
| Jul 27, 2020 | $1,140 | WATA 9.0 | CIB | Rev A Round Soq Early Production | Lot 122030-17859 |
| Jul 12, 2020 | $21,600 | WATA 9.4 A | Factory sealed | Round Soq Early Production | Lot 7231-93015 |
| Jul 12, 2020 | $4,800 | WATA 7.0 A | Factory sealed | — | Lot 7231-97046 |
Listings
Each link below opens an eBay search filtered to that condition, scoped to Contra on Nintendo NES. “Sold” pulls completed/sold listings (use this for price research). “Listings” pulls current active listings (use this to find a copy to buy).
Why Contra Matters for Grading
Contra is one of the more heavily-graded Nintendo NES titles, with 142 PSA populations on record across loose, CIB, and sealed. Strong submission volume signals collector demand — and grade premiums are the market’s vote on which copies are scarce. The sealed-to-loose price ratio is roughly 33× — sealed copies trade at $1,258 while loose carts move around $38. That spread means a fresh sealed find is the move; raw cart flips have thinner margins after grading fees. Because PSA tracks 3 variants separately, production-code identification matters before submission. The pop-by-variant breakdown above tells you which variant is the rarer find.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Contra Nintendo NES worth grading?
Yes for clean, top-condition copies. Contra has a healthy 142-copy graded population, and the higher-tier grades (9.4+) consistently command meaningful premiums over raw. Mid-tier grades (7-8) often net break-even after grading fees, so submission strategy matters.
How rare is a graded CIB copy of Contra?
PSA tracks 90 graded CIB copies of Contra for Nintendo NES. The grade-tier breakdown above shows how those split across PSA’s numeric grades — top-grade copies (9.4+) are the scarcest and typically command the strongest premiums.
Should I buy a graded or raw copy of Contra?
Depends on your goal. Graded copies cost more upfront but come with PSA’s authenticity + condition guarantee — the right move for buy-and-hold collectors. Raw copies are cheaper but require condition assessment yourself, and the grading lottery means a $50 raw cart can come back as a $25 PSA 7 OR a $200 PSA 9.4. Use the per-condition pop and price data above to calculate expected value before you commit.
Why does PSA track multiple variants of Contra?
PSA recognizes 3 distinct production variants of Contra on Nintendo NES. Variants reflect real production differences — different factories (Made in Japan vs Made in Mexico), packaging die changes, ESRB-rating retrofits added partway through the console’s life, or Players Choice reissues from later runs. Collectors price them differently because rarity diverges, and PSA tracks each on its own population row so the data reflects the real market structure.
Sources
Pop counts pulled weekly from PSA Video Games population data. Prices from PriceCharting. PSA acquired WATA in July 2021 and completed the rebrand to PSA Video Games on October 20, 2025. PSA Video Games population data is the continuation of WATA’s population history. Heritage graded-sale comps come from Heritage Auctions sold archive lot pages linked in the sale-record table.
Related Resources
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Nintendo NES Game Library (forthcoming) — every variant PSA tracks for this console.
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Retro Video Game Collecting — pillar with broader strategy, market dynamics, and grading economics.