I recently bought a sealed copy of Fester's Quest for NES. While a lot of people seem to dislike the game, despite its difficulty, I absolutely loved the exploration and RPG-ish elements in the gameplay. I'm planning to send it in for grading.

The one issue is that while the shrinkwrap is crisp and clear, the game itself has a strong odor. Basically, it smells like a pair of unwashed testicles someone left in the glove box of a 1957 Lincoln Towncar for a week in the Nevada desert. The seller told me it was stored in the cupboard of a home they cleared out, so it's probably due to some kind of food rotting near it.

Anyways, what I'm wondering is: will the smell impact its grade? Does it impact the resale value? If it's sealed in a WATA case, does its smell even matter since other people won't be able to smell it?

Wow that's an oddly specific description have experience with unwashed testicles left in a Lincoln Town car?

Seriously I think it would affect the value.

i would say yes from a seller point, but if slabbed idk

Try placing it in a box with baking powder (like, opened box baking powder, not covering the item) and seal the box for a few days. Could also put dryer sheets around it. The baking powder will absorb the odors rather than mask it.

Honestly, if the smell is pleasant and/or neutral, it wouldn't/shouldn't affect the value. If the above method doesn't work, I'd definitely consider it a hit on value (idk if smells leak through slabbed stuff) since it smells like horrible (assuming, I've never smelled someones gym bag, and I wash mine, so....)

i woulda suggested the baking powder as well, but idk, kinda hard to tell if it would work on plastic........maybe that and dryer sheets  

there's a niche market of testicle-smelling collectors that would pay extra for it
but they need to smell it first

Dude! The smell collectors are the worst to sell too! They have to smell every inch! On top of that you have to let them hold the item for a few days before they pay because they want to make sure the smell is authentic....but they do pay the big bucks.
 

If any of your friends have cats, see if they use the expensive crystal type of kitty litter. If you leave it in a closed bin with that for a few days, it should absorb the odor.

Yes, it would probably reduce the value for face to face sales, but not on eBay. I don't think a buyer can file a complaint just because it stinks. I know I've gotten a few items that smelled like an absolute chimney. I can't imagine WATA or VGA would grade it lower unless they thought it was mold causing the smell. But I know literally nothing about how those companies operate.

There shouldn't be any grade ding for the smell, no. But I would definitely try Dra6oon's suggestions first. If you're serious about grading go Wata as the blister should help keep the smell in.

A side note, I think it's fitting a Fester's Quest would smell.

We had a bunch of Friends DVD seasons come in in like 2011 and I knew at that location they wouldn't move. I put them on Amazon and one guy bought them all. The guy who sold them to us smoked, and despite us wiping them down with Windex fairly thoroughly they still stank. No where (at the time at least) did Amazon condition guidelines or return policy say anything about smell. The guy said he looked all that over while trying to send them back then left us a negative review. He wasn't allowed to send them back though.

Idk, personally I'd go ahead and run it through the dishwasher. Its sealed so the water wont get in.👍

Are there any smell variant collectors out there? What about taste collectors? Anyone ever licked a 20 year old plastic sealed game?

Do smells affect value? Not initially if from an online source, but once in hand, it might be something the buyer can potentially leave bad feedback or potentially wanting a refund. A little smell might be ok, but if it's to the point of infected testiculitis mixed with sweaty undies, then the seller should probably mention it in the listing.

hahahhhahahaha

Genuinely thought you were going to suggest getting a cat to pray it with piss. That's where my mind goes *shrugs*

Yes, smells totally impact value. I bought some N64 games from someone on here and as soon as I opened the shipping box they came in it was like I stepped into a smoky bar...smelled like ashtrays. I got the person to refund me on some of the money.

I have a sensitive nose though, I can smell things other people around me can't. Then again smells effect me differently too, I can easily get a headache from some smells.

15 years ago or so bought a Charles Barkley Phoenix Suns jersey on eBay and when I got it in the mail I opened up the box and immediately thought "Holy shit this SMELLS like Charles Barkley".....like, if Charles Barkley never used those Right Guard sticks ever

Not sure about WATA, but I would always offer a discount on items that smelled like smoke. I have several NES games and M.A.S.K. toy boxes that have spent years in containers with baking soda and still have an oder.

Those "crystals" help mask the odor once they are activated with liquid, most normal cat litters are baking soda to help with smell. I personally would use the soda and then maybe a light spray of another controlled perfume if there is still odor.  

This. Although eBay sellers definitely don’t take this stance. 😑
 

Makes sense.  All I know is that shit is magical; the only house I've been in that had 3 cats and you'd never know they had even a single cat used that kind of litter.
 

yes. Especially if you're talking about a hooker.

I think it would impact the value for most collectors, but it shouldn't affect the grade. I know it doesn't in comics where moldy smells are common.

This had me laughing at my desk.

lol

 

There's a reason people put "comes from a ballsweat-free home" in their listings