Manitoban selling off massive board game collection
A Manitoba teacher is selling off his colossal board game collection that he’s amassed through more than a decade of scouring thrift stores, pawn shops and garage sales.
Matthew Bencharski has over 800 board games in his collection, featuring classics like “Risk” and “Apples to Apples” to more obscure finds like “Trump: The Game.”
He started casually collecting over 10 years ago, picking up games he thought looked fun or retro at second-hand shops for a couple of bucks.
“One shelf of games leads to two shelves and three, then four and before you know it, you have a room full of board games.”
Now, the time has come for Bencharski to pare down his collection that’s overtaking a spare room at his Stonewall, Man. home.
He posted a photo of his collection to Facebook Marketplace, inviting folks to message him if they are after a specific title and propose a price.
A small portion of Matthew Bencharski's board game collection, featuring classic and obscure releases, is shown in an April 18, 2024 image. (Matthew Bencharski)
Four days later, he has received over a thousand messages from board game buffs. Some of the most sought-after games in his inbox – “Hamburger,” “Moolah” and “Mall Madness.”
Bencharski is keeping a few dozen games he’s not able to part with, like “The Omega Virus.” The Milton Bradley game from the ‘90s calls on players or “heroes of the planet Earth” to save the BattleSat1 space station from an evil virus.
Another favourite - “Dream Phone,” a beloved artifact among the Lisa Frank-era of girls, tweens and teens alike. Players have a secret admirer. To find out who, they must call up boys whose mushroom-cut headshots adorn a deck of cards one by one, seeking out clues.
Despite multiple requests for it, Bencharski says his copy is not for sale.
“It’s actually a really fun game. My wife and I have had like friends over and we’ve played it. It's so cheesy and corny, but it's funny at the same time.”
He’s already sold off a number of games. So far, Bencharski says he’s had zero sellers’ remorse. It’s a sign, he says, he’s doing the right thing by scaling back.
Besides working out a fair price, it’s important to him that each game is going to someone who will appreciate it.
“I met this person yesterday to sell “Heartthrob.” Her face just lit up when she saw it,” he said. “I’m glad they’re going to a good home.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What weather experts say to expect this summer in Canada
Get ready to feel the heat, Canada. Weather experts are predicting more sunshine and warmer temperatures for the summer.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.
Israel sends tanks into Rafah on raids amid Gaza-wide offensive
Israeli tanks mounted raids across Rafah in defiance of the World Court for a second day on Wednesday, after Washington said the assault did not amount to a major ground operation in the southern Gazan city that U.S. officials have warned Israel to avoid.
Five more Ontario school boards join lawsuit against social media platforms
Five additional Ontario school boards and two independent private schools have joined a lawsuit against the owners of multiple social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
In bizarre provocation, North Korea flies trash, manure balloons over the South
North Korea flew hundreds of balloons carrying trash and manure toward South Korea in one of its most bizarre provocations against its rival in years, prompting the South’s military to mobilize chemical and explosive response teams to recover objects and debris in different parts of the country.
Introducing peanut butter during infancy can help protect against a peanut allergy later on, new study finds
New evidence suggests that feeding children smooth peanut butter during infancy and early childhood can help reduce their risk of developing a peanut allergy even years later.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.