collector of any kind know that scarcity is Martin Luther King Jr. , but that the bang eye of the observer can also answer for for a lot ; for example , a slice of Prince William and Kate Middleton ’s nuptials cakerecently soldfor almost $ 3000 , even though it was presumably moderately moth-eaten .

The same is true of VHS , a culture medium which , having only finally been retired by major studio in 2006 , is still happen its groove with collector in term of what ’s precious and what ’s ugly . To wit : eBay vendor are presently hawkingseemingly a millionVHS copies of Disney’sBeauty and the Beastfor anywhere from $ 10 to $ 500 .

Here are a few kind of VHS tape recording — including this year ’s hot attribute and some long - stand rare breakthrough — that you might want to hold back using to prop up up the cat ’s litter box .

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1. HORROR FILMS: THE MORE ‘SCHLOCKY’ AND LOW-BUDGET, THE BETTER

While pristine " first edition " VHS copies of prison term - honour movie are always great , aficionado are especially concerned in gathering and archiving picture show that never made it to videodisk or other digital formats ( even Yale University ispitching in)—often because nobody ever bothered to preserve those particular motion picture .

The effect is that many of the rarest , most worthy VHS tapes contain films that are real clunkers . Tales from the Quadead Zonerecently made a plash by fetching $ 700 ( an amount that might duplicate by the next time it ’s resold ) despite being a trainwreck of a movie . AsTIMEputs it , the horror film ’s mellow resale economic value can be credit to the fact that “ schlocky repugnance and using picture stand little chance of ever being transpose to DVD or Blu - ray , [ meaning ] VHS copies are often the last surviving evidence that the film existed . ” So , for both fans and archivists , they ’re invaluable .

2. PRO WRESTLING

Both professional grappling and VHS enjoyed their gilded ages in the last two decades of the last millennium , and their compounding cause for actual inheritance items among collectors . Got a written matter of the 1994 WCW classicHalloween Havocthat ’s still in the shrink wrap ? Unless you ’re ( understandably ) dying to watch it yourself , leave that plastic on — there’sone on eBaylooking to fetch several hundred dollars . World Class Championship Wrestling Vol . 1 - 5 are also quite rare ( and prise accordingly ) , while an open copy ofBash at the Beach 2000recently sell for $ 599 .

3. FILM RELEASES FROM SECOND-RATE AND DEFUNCT DISTRIBUTORS

So the only thing about your tape that rings less of a bell than its whacky title is the pulled - a - name - out - of - a - hat company that produced and deal the tape ? That ’s a great sign .

During VHS ’s heyday , small dispersion companies picked up the brassy right to all kinds of titles ( especially vitamin B movies and public world " classics " ) , lease them turn a quick profits by selling budget films on budget tapes . Some distributor acquire tape boxes and sleeves that were infrangible gems , while others absolutely did not , and both the highs and low gear of modest - fourth dimension re - dismissal make a braggart dab among collectors .

For example , Donna Michelle Productions ( no relation to classical Playboy Playmate - call on - actress Donna Michelle , as far as we know ) released seven horror moving picture between 1986 and 1990 that really tense up the term “ Bel moving-picture show ” and push VHS collectors wild . The 1987 rural horror filmSplatter Farm — written and direct by John Polonia , Mark Polonia , and Todd Smith , and starring Marion Costly , John Polonia , Mark Polonia , and Todd Smith — is one of this prized batch , and almost impossible to find out . It ’s been free on DVD , too , but the data format count : To see every macabre shot of farm butchery found in the original rendering , you have to watch the tape measure .

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If you make out across any Donna Michelle Productions releases — especiallyRock and Roll Mobster GirlsorMonsters and Maniacs — be sure to fall on to them , as they can fetch three - digit price .

4. DISCONTINUED OR BANNED MOVIES

Regardless of which field they ’re scouring , many collectors train to scoop up those items that authority — or even society as a whole — has deemed undesirable . Such is the case with Disney ’s controversial 1947 musical filmSong of the South , which had a few theatrical releases over the years , was then ultimately and summarily withdraw from Disney ’s cache of offering , and can get around $ 30 on tape .

It ’d also be worth escort if your garage has any titles find on thelistof " video nasties " that were banned ( or , at least , to a great extent scrutinize ) by the British Board of Film Classification set forth in the mid-‘80s . For several years , public discourse of these plastic film linked them torising violenceamong youths , while the UK ’s Director of Public Prosecutions argued they were in violation of the Obscene Publications Act of 1959 . An original written matter of 1979’sDelirium , akaPsycho Puppet , for example , can easily net between $ 100 and $ 150 .

5. MUSIC MOVIES

Various euphony photographic film found their final resting place on VHS tape , too , include ones from the some of the world ’s most famous bands . The documentary filmLet it Beis a behind - the - prospect look at the transcription process for the Beatles ’ album of the same name ; because it terminate up capturing the very sour dynamics in the group mightily before the four stock split up for good , however , their production company elected to have VHS be the film ’s last format . Only last calendar month , too , wasThe Decline of Western Civilization , the renowned docudrama about underground LA thug , unloosen on DVD and Blu - rayfor the first metre — having made it one of the most sought - after VHS titles for over 30 eld .

6. COMPLETE TV SERIES RUNS (IN ALL THEIR SPACE-HOGGING GLORY)

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If you ’ve been devote , say , a quarter of your cellar to storing VHS box sets of one-time primetime TV show , you ’ve made a judicious choice : one asking pricefor 23 episodes ofStar Trekis $ 345 , while Set 3 ofThe Best of the Simpsonscommands $ 45 on its own .

7. FOREIGN FILMS AND TV SHOWS

If interestingness in a particular film has dip or vanish before a formatting conversion , there ’s a sightly luck that this title wo n’t make the cut of movies that receive the climb . When it comes to international and foreign language films , competition for next - generation format conservation by U.S. production companies is furious , specially if a great number of devotee have n’t been howling for it . Thus , so as to enjoy programming likeFinal Fantasy : Legend of the Crystals(among many other things ) , you got ta track it down on tapeline ( and can expect to paybig buck ) .

From classical " using "   statute title and Blaxploitation sagas to ( mostly European)nunsploitationones , the cult favorites in these over - the - top genre always get action from collector . If you ’re looking to grease one’s palms , the filmSextette , starring Mae West , Timothy Dalton , and Dom DeLuise , will only cost around $ 15 or so all order , but even aformer rental store copyof the Blaxploitation classicBrotherhood of Deathcould fructify you back $ 76 — and that ’s without an unchanged original case .

9. REALLY, ANYTHING WITH A WILD, CREATIVE, OR INACCURATE COVER

This point is probable old news program to the record - collectors , but thecover artand packaging of many VHS tapes — whether it ’s peculiarly great or awful , or somehow both — can carry a lot of weight in terms of their time value ; for example , you might want to drop $ 20 on a VHS transcript of the mediocre movieRevenge of the Mysterons From Mars(which feature Supermarionation special essence ) if you find yourself moved by its salient but awkward binding artwork .

On the other hand , if covers are n’t your matter , that same $ 20 could get you a transcript of“How to Get a Record Deal”—featuring sage advice from Kenny Loggins , Phil Collins , and others — plus a pizza pie and/or a six pack of beer to go with it ( pizza rate may depart by localisation ) . Then again , you could keep it simple and just get enough $ 0.99 - copy of the“Ab - Doer Back & Spine”exercise video to fill a bathtub . To each their own .