P3. If You Have One Of These Old VHS Tapes It May Be Worth Over $1000

Got VHS tapes collecting dust on a shelf somewhere? Maybe you already reclaimed the space and they’re sitting in an attic long-forgotten. Hopefully you didn’t throw them out, though, as it turns out there might be quite the market for some old tapes.Modern directorial practice for movie releases and re-releases tends to include adding or editing the film from the theatrical version. While some people don’t mind or even enjoy these changes, for others, the original cut is worth a hefty price tag. This translates to listings on eBay for certain tapes at astronomical prices, like one particular Beauty and the Beast tape going for $9,999. The original Beauty and the Beast did not include the song “Human Again”; it was cut for space reasons, then re-added to the 2002 special edition.

However, Disney tapes in particular might be valuable to collectors for other reasons. Reddit user Reddit_Executive speculates that, because of the specific branding on original releases, these movies could go for quite a bit: “On the spines of some VHS (and BetaMax) tapes is a black diamond with Walt’s signature on it.

This black diamond, commonly referred to as the "Black Diamond Collection," marks a series of Disney VHS releases from the 1980s and early 1990s. These tapes are often considered valuable by collectors due to their nostalgic significance and the fact that they represent some of Disney’s most iconic animated films. The Black Diamond label indicates that these editions were part of Disney’s first home video releases, making them highly sought after by fans and collectors alike.

While not every tape from this collection is worth thousands of dollars, certain titles can fetch significant sums depending on their condition and rarity. Tapes that are still sealed in their original packaging or those with limited print runs are particularly prized. For example, early editions of The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and Aladdin from the Black Diamond Collection have been known to attract bids into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars on online marketplaces.

It’s not just Disney tapes that can bring in big bucks, though. Other classic films and cult favorites from the VHS era are also growing in demand. Horror movies, for instance, have developed a strong niche market among collectors. Original VHS copies of films like Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and even more obscure slasher films can fetch premium prices, especially if the artwork on the tape’s box is rare or has been altered in later versions.

In addition, there’s a certain charm and nostalgia attached to VHS tapes. For many, these tapes represent a bygone era before the advent of streaming services and Blu-ray discs, when watching a movie meant popping a tape into a VCR and adjusting the tracking to get the best picture. This sentimentality drives some collectors to pay large sums to own a piece of that history.

If you have old VHS tapes gathering dust, it might be worth taking a second look at them. You could be sitting on a small fortune, especially if they are rare editions, in good condition, or part of a special collection. Whether it’s Disney classics or cult horror films, the market for vintage tapes is alive and well, with collectors eager to get their hands on these nostalgic treasures. So, before you toss them out, do a little research—you might be surprised at just how much those old tapes are worth.