There’s really nothing better than raking through your closet for stuff to get rid of and accidentally stumbling on a hidden treasure. These days, that treasure might just be your favorite old Disney movie.
Its always thrilling when you rediscover a nostalgic old piece of clothing, or a beloved bauble that you thought was lost forever. That said, there’s an even more gratifying possibility: finding something you don’t feel sentimental about, but that’s worth a lot of money.
It happens more often than you would think, as we saw with the family who bought a $2 million bowl for $3 at a yard sale. In fact, lots of us may have stuff stowed away in the attic thats now worth a pretty penny.
Thats where those Disney movies come in. Consider all of those old VHS tapes you packed away in storage sometime between the advent of the DVD player and Netflix.
It might be worth your time to take a peek at your old copies of Beauty and the Beast and 101 Dalmatians, and see what they’re worth today…
These days, the most valuable VHS tape of them all is Beauty and the Beast.
Most of us remember this movie for its beautiful songs and bewitching animation, but now these old video tapes may be worth big bucks.
This particular tape is valued at almost $9,000 on eBay.
Meanwhile, other similar tapes are valued between $1,500 and $10,000.
Back in the late 80s and 90s, these videotapes were the latest technology in home movie viewing.
Whether you were a parent, a grandparent, or a kid yourself in their heyday, you probably had quite a collection of the classic Disney animated movies.
Now, you may finally be about to reap your reward for all those hours of rewinding and sitting through trailers.
Collectors covet these classic movies, and keep an eye out for certain editions.
Some editions have rare defects, some come with special collectibles, and others are part of limited-edition runs.
These designs were mostly invented by the Disney Company to make the videos collectible in later years, and, boy, did they succeed.
To find out whether you have an ultra-rare collectible in your old stash of VHS tapes, the first thing to check is the spine of the VHS case.
Certain editions have a black diamond mark on the spine, which was an early attempt to make the videos more marketable.
The diamondreads “The Classics,” and represents a specific collection that is now highly collectible.
Many of the VHS tapes also have a similar diamond on the tape itself.
Most of these also read “The Classics.”
Tapes that have this simple mark, without any other special features, tend to sell for prices between $50 and $250.
Some editions have an earlier form of the black diamond logo.
These tapes have the black diamond on the outside, but inside have the message “A Walt Disney Classic,” with Disney’s famous signature.
That small change in the tapes can make a huge difference for the collectors, who will pay in the thousands for the signature on the tape itself.
Any VHS with a black diamond marking is more valuable than your average tape, but other factors can make them even more valuable.
The condition of the VHS matters a lot for people who want to a VHS in mint condition.
Some people may pay extra for videos still in their original packaging.
The art and the content of the videoalso make a big difference in the value.
This version of TheLittle Mermaid has a limited-edition artwork that was later banned, which ups its value considerably, to over $6,000.
Some of the most valuable versions ofBeauty and the Beast contain the song “Human Again” that was cut from later versions, making them extra valuable.
If you think it might be time to do a little digging in your old collection of VHS tapes, make sure to SHARE for friends on Facebook!
source: littlethings