17 VHS Tapes Worth a Lot of Money, According to Collectors ...Saudi Arabia

These days, most of us rely on streaming services to watch our favorite movies. But diehard fans often collect films on Blu-ray for posterity. Before Blu-rays, DVDs were all the rage and quite similar in function. But if you grew up with VHS (which stands for "Video Home System") tapes, you know they required a bit of effort since you had to rewind them after every use. Still, many collectors are now nostalgic for those days, and some VHS tapes may actually be worth a lot of money today."Collecting films, especially in VHS format, is a cult of remembrance—whether it’s the older crowd remembering their theater experiences or the newly middle-aged recalling the video store experience," says Nancy Naglin, the editor and publisher of VideoScope magazine. "The films people collect—and the ones with the astronomical price tags—are tied to the period of life when you’re learning about cinema and learning life through cinema. That’s what makes them collectible. You’re paying money to hold onto your life story."Whether you've been collecting VHS tapes for years or are thinking about starting a collection, we consulted several industry experts to discover what makes certain VHS tapes more valuable than others. We're also sharing a list of 17 titles that have sold for a pretty penny over the years.Related: How Much Are Your Beanie Babies Really Worth? 41 Most Valuable Tys Of All Time

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Rarity: "What makes a VHS tape desirable to collectors? Movies or TV programs that have never been added to streaming services, or were never released in any other format such as DVD or Blu-ray," Sohmers explains. Desirability: "If a media title has more interest than available copies, the price rises and once rereleased in any format, causes prices to flatten, like any economic product," he says.Condition: "A sealed copy would have an even greater value," he shares. "These days, people can take a sealed copy of a VHS tape and have it encapsulated and graded by a service to preserve its mint condition, sometimes adding more value." Ferry notes that serious collectors turn to one of several grading companies, including CGC (Certified Guaranty Company). "This grading system, conducted by an objective expert, assigns a numerical value to the item on a scale of one to 10 with many decimal points of variation," he says. "The tape is then 'blocked' or encased in plastic to ensure that no further alterations are made after the report has been issued."Genre: "Among the most in-demand genres are horror, science fiction and reissues of Disney classics," Ferry shares. "Poor distribution, printing errors and enclosed promotions all contribute to the rarity and desirability of these tapes."  

VHS collector and music writer Dan Gorman says the VHS market is "largely speculative in nature.""Generally, the truly rare tapes—usually obscure movies released in very limited quantities—are the ones that reliably call high prices. For years, an original VHS copy of Tales from the QuaDead Zone(an obscure horror release) was one of the most sought-after tapes and was sometimes being sold for in the thousands," he explains.When more mainstream movies, such as a sealed, graded copy of Back to the Future, sell for "astronomically high prices," Gorman says this is often the result of a "speculative bubble.""Grading common tapes like this is something that has happened across other media again and again; it has happened with comic books and video games and more," he notes.Related: 85 Best ’80s Trivia Questions and Answers for Your Next Game Night

17 VHS Tapes Worth Money  

Sold for: $5,750 in 2022VHS and Movie Release Year: 1986

2. 'Young Frankenstein'

Sold for: $6,000 in 2022VHS Release Year: 1981Movie Release Year: 1974

Sold for: $7,500 in 2023VHS Release Year: 1979Movie Release Year: 1974

4. 'Back to the Future II'

Sold for: $16,000 in 2022VHS Release Year: 1990Movie Release Year: 1989

Sold for: $17,000 in 2022VHS Release Year: 1987Movie Release Year: 1986

6. 'Ghostbusters'

Sold for: $23,000 in 2022VHS Release Year: 1985Movie Release Year: 1984

Sold for: $27,000 in 2023VHS Release Year: 1982Movie Release Year: 1976

8. 'Star Wars (A New Hope)'

Sold for: $32,000VHS Release Year: 1983Movie Release Year: 1977

Sold for: $32,000 in 2022VHS Release Year: 1983Movie Release Year: 1975

10. 'The Thing'

Sold for: $37,000 in 2022VHS and Movie Release Year: 1982

Sold for: $23,000 in 2024VHS Release Date: 1982Movie Release Year: 1977

Related: The Force Is Strong With These 101 Most Epic 'Star Wars' Quotes Ever

12. 'Halloween II'

Sold for: $15,000 in 2022VHS and Movie Release Year: 1981

Sold for: $15,000 in 2022VHS Release Year: 1985Movie Release Year: 1984

14. 'Return of the Living Dead'

Sold for: $18,000 in 2022VHS Release Year: 1984

Sold for: $22,000 in 2022VHS and Movie Release Year: 1982

The Most Valuable VHS Tapes

16. 'The Goonies'

Sold for: $50,000 in 2022VHS Release Year: 1986Movie Release Year: 1985

17. 'Back to the Future'

Sold for: $75,000 in 2022VHS Release Year: 1986Movie Release Year: 1985

Related: 15 Vintage Barbies That Are Worth a Fortune Today, According to Doll Collectors

Sources:

Nancy Naglin is the editor and publisher of VideoScope magazine.Gary Sohmers is an appraiser of pop culture who has appeared on 13 seasons of PBS' Antiques Roadshow.Cole Ferry is a personal property appraiser and member of the Appraisers Association of America.Dan Gorman is a VHS collector and music writer.

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