A publicity stunt that fell apart in 2009 has resurfaced once again as the Nintendo Wii covered in 24 karat gold for Queen Elizabeth II is up for public auction.
THQ launched the stunt as they tried to deliver the Wii to the Queen, but it never happened. Since then, the Wii has changed hands a couple of times and went up on eBay by a collector in the Netherlands; however, the sale never went through because of some changes in eBay's policies.
The console eventually changed hands, and the new owner, Don, decided to put it up for auction at the Goldin auction house, which Goldin seems very happy to put up. Check out their description below:
Due to the Palace Correspondence Team's understandably strict policy when it comes to gifts, however, for security reasons, the console never actually made it into the Palace, let alone into the Queen's hands. It was subsequently sent back to the THQ offices, unbeknownst to the rest of the world, who assumed that it had reached its final destination, living the life of royalty. When THQ went bankrupt in 2012, "The Royal Wii" fell off of the radar, and nobody really knew what became of it. However, five years later, it resurfaced, having been acquired by a collector specializing in developer hardware, who had obtained it from a contact he had at THQ. He ultimately sold the console, and it has been held quietly in our consignor's hands since then.
Presented here is the ultimate Wii collectible, commissioned especially for Her Majesty the Queen herself for a (somewhat goofy, and ultimately unsuccessful) marketing ploy, "The Golden Wii." The console and controller are both plated in 24 karat gold. Both exhibit minor handling wear, with the controller displaying scattered chips to the gold plating. The bundle includes the console, one controller, a copy of BIG Family Games, sensor bar, and all necessary cables. The Wii will come with a Letter of Provenance from our consignor attesting to its history and authenticity. Don't miss your opportunity to own this truly one-of-a-kind Nintendo collectible! (Crown Jewels not included.)
It'll be fascinating to see what the console sells for when bidding comes to a close on May 22. At the time of this writing, the bids are currently at $2200. You can check out the auction by clicking this link.
