Rare Xbox donated to charity shop raises thousands

The Hulk-branded gaming device is in a vivid green

A rare Xbox console that was donated to a charity shop has sold for almost £8,000 at auction.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) said the green gaming device, created to promote the 2003 Hulk superhero film, was one of only 50 ever made.

It had been "generously donated" to one of its shops in Oxford, the charity said.

After 62 bids in the online auction, the console, which is still in working order, sold for £7,700.

Richard Pallier, head of online retail at British Heart Foundation, said: “It’s very exciting when a rare item like this gets generously donated to us.

"Our team of experts at our eBay HQ work hard to test and verify these unique pieces and realise their best value to ensure they go to loving new homes."

The console was created to promote the 2003 Hulk superhero film

The console, and its potential value, had initially been spotted by Paul Smith, a passionate gamer and function tester at British Heart Foundation’s eBay HQ.

“I’m a games enthusiast myself and the rare green colour combined with the Hulk and Pepsi logo really stood out," he said.

Mr Smith said the device was only available as a prize in a UK cinema scratchcard competition.

Only 36 of the consoles were won and only about 20 have been found, he continued.

The charity's eBay listing said: “In the USA, a green Xbox was created for the brand Mountain Dew, they made 5,000 of those and they are highly sought after, so this is even rarer.

"There are none on eBay and none have been sold in the past, so these are rare, the likelihood of finding another is slim."

Money from the sale will go towards research into heart and circulatory diseases.