Before You Throw Away That Box Of Old VHS Tapes, Check These 10 Titles And Editions That Collectors Actually Look For

That box of old VHS tapes in the closet probably holds a few family Christmases, some taped-off-the-TV movies and a pile of rentals nobody ever returned. In most cases, it is worth a few dollars at best.

But there is a corner of the market where a sealed tape can bring tens of thousands of dollars. Retro Dodo’s list of rare VHS tapes names ten titles and editions with sale prices at Heritage Auctions, and the details of each one explain why.

The common thread is simple: sealed, graded, and an early edition. If your tapes are opened and played, the picture changes, but it is still worth knowing what collectors are after.

Back to the Future (1986) Sold For $75,000 From An Actor’s Own Collection

Retro Dodo reports a sealed 1986 copy of “Back to the Future” sold for $75,000. It was graded VGA 80+ NM, has a white MCA Home Video watermark, and came from the private collection of actor Tom Wilson, who agreed to sign it after the sale.

The Goonies (1986) Brought $50,000 In 2022

A sealed 1986 “The Goonies” sold for $50,000 in 2022, according to Retro Dodo. It was graded VGA 85 NM+ and carries a white wraparound Warner Home Video watermark.

Notice the repeated references to watermarks. Collectors look at tiny printed details on the seal, not just the title on the box.

The Thing (1982) Reached $37,500 For A Two-Toned Tape

“The Thing” sold for $37,500 in 2022, per Retro Dodo. The listing describes a two-toned tape with wraparound MCA watermarks and a red MCAT tape etch, and the grade was IGS Box 8 NM, Seal 7.5 NM.

Jaws (1983) Sold For $32,500 And Was Later Offered Higher

Retro Dodo reports a sealed 1983 “Jaws” sold for $32,500 in 2022, graded IGS Box and Seal 8.5 Mint, with wraparound MCA home video watermarks. The article says the current buyer was open to offers of $48,500 or more.

That second number is an asking price, not a sale, so treat it as the owner’s hope rather than a result.

Star Wars (1983) Hit $32,500 As A Drawer Box Copy

A 1983 sealed “Star Wars” reached $32,500 when its listing ended in February 2023, per Retro Dodo. It was graded VGA 85+ NM+, in a 20th Century Fox Video drawer box, and is described as one of two known drawer box copies.

Rocky (1982) Sold For $27,500, A Copy Described As The Only Known Of Its Kind

Retro Dodo says a sealed “Rocky” from 1982 sold for $27,500. It was graded VGA 85 NM+, in a drawer box with a flatback seal and white 20th Century Fox Video watermarks, and the article describes it as the only known sealed copy of the original release.

Ghostbusters (1985) Went For $23,750 With A Raised Logo

A sealed 1985 “Ghostbusters” sold for $23,750 and was graded VGA 85+ NM+, with a vertical overlap, white RCA-CP Home Video watermark and a raised logo, according to Retro Dodo. The current owner’s listing starts at $35,625.

First Blood (1982) Brought $22,500 Thanks To A Promo For Rambo

Retro Dodo lists a sealed 1982 “First Blood” at $22,500. The tape has a back-cover promo for “Rambo: First Blood Part II” from Thorn EMI Video and was graded GS Box 10 EPIC, Seal 9 Mint, the list’s first 10 EPIC-graded tape.

The Return Of The Living Dead (1984) Sold For $18,750 In October 2022

Retro Dodo reports a sealed 1984 “The Return of the Living Dead” in a clamshell case sold for $18,750 in October 2022. It carries front HBO Video watermarks and was graded IGS Box and Seal 10 EPIC.

Top Gun (1987) With A Diet Pepsi Cover Reached $17,500

Last on the list is a sealed 1987 “Top Gun” with a Diet Pepsi promotional cover, which brought $17,500, according to Retro Dodo. The back of the cover carries Pepsi branding, and the tape was graded IGS Box and Seal 8 NM.

What This Means For The Box In Your Closet

All ten of those sales involve sealed tapes with professional grades. Fox Business reported that Baruch Labunski of Rank Secure says most VHS tapes will sell for only a few dollars, and that opened and used tapes have their value dramatically lowered. You can read the Fox Business report for that advice and for other price ranges it cites.

That same report says Walt Disney Home Video’s 1981 releases in Black Diamond editions mostly range from $50 to $300, and that recent eBay sales of Disney movies ran from $20 to $316. Rarity and nostalgia, it says, are what decide which tapes are valuable.

The same report notes that a sealed 1977 “Star Wars” tape sold for $57,600 at Goldin Auctions in December 2021, in sealed, mint condition. Once again, the seal and the condition did the heavy lifting.

So go through the box slowly. Set aside any tape still in shrink-wrap, any early studio edition, and any promotional release, and compare them with completed sales before you list anything.

And if the tapes turn out to be worth little, there is a different kind of value in them. A shelf of faded labels in your handwriting is a library of your own family’s evenings.

Vinyl and Velvet