Dreams are just as important as reality, this is what Disney teaches us. Kids who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s would relate to this, they had arguably the best childhood screen time with awesome shows and series.
Walt Disney movies made most of our childhood memories evergreen, albeit with their movies or animated series.
Table of Contents
About Disney Studios
Walt Disney Studios Productions started the creation of its first feature-length animated film in 1934.
It took the studios three years to complete the production, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs were the first to be premiered in December 1937. The animated feature went on to become the highest-grossing film of that time by 1939.
In the 1940s, Disney had begun exploring full-length live-action films, with the introduction of the hybrid live-action-animated films like The Reluctant Dragon which premiered in 1941, and Song of the South in 1946.
Within that decade, the Disney studio began creating nature documentaries with the production and release of Seal Island in 1948, the first of the True-Life Adventures series and a successive Academy Award winner for Best Live-Action Short Film.
VHS tapes have been in existence since the 1950s but ultimately reached their peak usage in the 1980s and 1990s. Walt Disney’s adoption of VHS tapes to put out their work of animated features such as the fox and the hound, beauty and the beast, Aladdin, and the likes, Disney movies like Pinocchio, Bambi, snow white and the seven dwarves. Thus, marking the era of classic VHS tapes.
How much are Disney VHS tapes worth?
Do you have a collection of old Disney VHS tapes that you’d like to sell and know the value and worth?
Then this guide is what you need.
For starters, Disney VHS tapes are not worthless, they do have value to some extent. They may not be worth great fortunes or millions of dollars as many would make it seem, but they certainly are worth something.
Going on online stores such as eBay and Amazon, one may be tempted to think, and sometimes believe a collection of vintage Disney VHS tape could sell above a thousand dollars, but sorry to break it to you, that’s not true.
Disney VHS tapes are valuable because they are no longer made and not many are out there in circulation. Especially if you desire to get some of the rare VHS tapes, and maybe the ones that have not been opened, this may prove difficult.
A vast amount of the tapes were produced over three decades ago (the 1980s), which could mean it would be a real task to get an actual tape that’s still functional.
Disney VHS tapes do not have a specific price value, this is due to any of these reasons:
- Someone may just feel the need to clear out their closets, hence they give out the tapes for a giveaway price, and some even at goodwill
- Another instance is when a person acquires the tape and keeps it aside for the sole purpose of reselling it at a higher price in the future.
- A person could decide to sell the tapes to get a little money from his or her collection of classics.
These are some of the reasons that could prompt the Disney VHS tapes not to have a particular price value. Price is being set by the individuals who intend to sell.
Should you come across one of the VHS tapes, it’s pretty advisable to verify if it’s still playable with your vh playing machine or meet VHS tape specialists.
The price you acquire a Disney VHS tape would depend on your bargaining prowess
On some online stores, Disney VHS tapes could sell for low prices ranging from $2 – $10, while some could sell for between $10 – $40. It’s not often that people acquire Disney VHS tapes for over $100 or even $1000.
There were only a record of three (3) times when a single Disney VHS tape was sold for over $1000
Most of these Disney VHS tapes are worth $25 based on the average bid carried out on eBay, Amazon, and other online stores or auction websites, this is according to research.
The Disney tapes that have the potential to earn or have more value in the market is the black diamond edition/collection.
The black diamond edition refers to the diamond-shaped (the classic) logo on the super spine of each Disney VHS clamshell. These are collections of tapes that were released between 1984 and 1994 and include animated features like Dumbo, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and more.
The first animated feature on the black diamond edition that was released was Robin Hood in December 1984. The collection consists of a total of 20 movies, these movies bear the label as part of the Walt Disney classic series until it was canceled in March 1994 with the Fox and the Hound.
The Black Diamond edition list
Movies and years released
No. |
Movies |
Year |
1 |
Robin Hood |
1984 and 1991 |
2 |
Pinocchio |
1985, 1993 |
3 |
Dumbo |
1985, 1991 |
4 |
Sword in the Stone |
1986 and 1991 |
5 |
Alice in Wonderland |
1986 and 1991 |
6 |
Sleeping Beauty |
1986 |
7 |
Lady and the Tramp |
1987 |
8 |
Cinderella |
1988 |
9 |
Bambi |
1989 |
10 |
The Little Mermaid |
1990 |
11 |
Peter Pan |
1990 |
12 |
The Jungle Book |
1991 |
13 |
The Rescuers Down Under |
1991 |
14 |
Fantasia |
1991 |
15 |
101 Dalmatians |
1992 |
16 |
The Great Mouse Detective |
1992 |
17 |
The Rescuers |
1992 |
18 |
Beauty and the Beast |
1992 |
19 |
Aladdin |
1993 |
20 |
The Fox and the Hound |
1994 |
If you are having any of the tapes among the black diamond edition, chances are that your Disney VHS tapes have more value than the regular vintage VHS tapes.
To make it easy for you to place value on your Disney VHS tapes, here are some helpful tips to do that. Take these factors into consideration:
- Rarity: you may not know this but some Disney VHS tapes are rare compared to others, some of the rare tapes would be listed shortly. If you have one or more of the rare tapes, then you can be sure that they have some high value.
- Desirability: the demand for a particular Disney VHS tape could drive up the value. If a tape that you have in your possession is being sought after by many buyers, then there’s every chance that the tapes are of high value and could be sold for a high price.
- Unopened: tapes that have not been opened tend to have more value compared to those that have been opened. So it’s fair to say you’d fetch more money from the sale of your VHS tapes if they are still sealed.
- Condition: VHS tapes are highly sensitive to magnets, the pictures of the video become irreparable when they are close to magnets. Hence it is important to pay attention to where you store your VHS tapes as they could affect the value, and possibly not give them any value at all. Another thing to factor into consideration is the state of the clamshell art cover, the art cover should still be clear and new to be of reasonable value.
- Authentication: over the years, Disney has had some form of unique classification titles for its tapes. It could be the black diamond, the masterpiece collection, or the Gold classical. These have higher chances of being authentic, so have this in mind when trying to place value on your Disney VHS tapes.
These are some of the ways through which collectors of Disney VHS tapes could place value on their tapes and may want to put them up for sale.
Rare Disney VHS tape
The Beauty and the Beast and the Little Mermaid with the original art cover that was banned are very good examples of rare Disney VHS tapes. This is because they are requested more but very few copies are available causing their value to soar. On eBay, the original case of The Little Mermaid has a worth of $900.
The Black Diamond Edition of Disney VHS tapes constitutes a larger part of the rare VHS tapes.
Another tape that attracts more value because of its rarity is The 101 Dalmatian, the oldest copy that could still be found (still in good condition) sells for a whopping $149 on Etsy and around $1000 on eBay.
Let’s take a look at some of these rare Disney VHS tapes and the value worth attached to them:
1、Aladdin
Original / Rare
About: Disney Aladdin, Black diamond VHS, Black Diamond collection.
Condition: Opened but in a good condition.
Price: USD 500
Available on Etsy.
2、Beauty and the Beast
Original / Rare
Vintage Walt Disney Black Diamond Classic Beauty and the Beast 1992
Condition: Good
Price: 450 USD
Available on Etsy
3、Mulan
Original / Rare
VHS Mulan 199
Gold Collection Disney movie videotape very rare collectible.
Condition: Good
USD 349.00
Available on Etsy
4、101 Dalmatian
Original / Rare
About: 1992 101 Dalmatians Black Diamond Disney RARE (VHS, 1992) Video Tape
Price: USD 149.99
Condition: Good
Available on Etsy
5、Cinderella
Original / Rare
About: Vintage Walt Disney’s Classic Cinderella, Black Diamond Edition
1988 First Edition VHS
Condition: Excellent
Price: USD 100
Available on Etsy
These are a few of the rare Disney VHS tapes that are currently in existence. It is important to note that these tapes could and may not sell for the prices stated in the description.
Old Disney VHS tapes
These are generally all VHS tapes that came out of the stables of Walt Disney Studios.
Unlike VHS tapes that are under the umbrella of The Black Diamond edition or The masterpiece collection, may not command as much value. But given the fact that they are still sought after by people who will love to acquire them, provides them with the value of some sort.
So if you have old Disney VHS tapes, probably before 1984 (the Black Diamond edition), it might interest you to know that there is a whole market out there for them, which means it is of value. You just have to have a tape that’s in good condition and where to put it up for sale.
Old Disney VHS tapes value
The nostalgia hits differently whenever it comes to old Disney movies and animated features, especially if it’s on VHS tape. This particular factor alone provides these tapes with value.
Based on the market by inside magic, old Disney VHS tapes are generally valued as worth less than $2.
Streaming platforms have arguably most of the old Disney movies and animated features on VHS tapes available on their website, but the feeling could never be compared to when it’s been viewed on the original tapes.
Although the vh tape players have become somewhat out of date and difficult to come by, you could always get one in any of the online stores or auction websites. As time flies, these player machines are gradually becoming antiques.
Old Disney VHS tapes indeed hold value and can fetch real money especially if they are ones sought after more.
Most Valuable Disney VHS tapes
We all wish that our tape collections could fetch us a fortune, but that’s not always the case.
As stated earlier, the value of old Disney VHS tapes varies. It depends on several factors some of which have been talked about in the earlier parts of this guide.
Here are some of the most valuable Disney VHS tapes out there:
The black diamond editions
Masterpiece collections
Gold classic collections
The Disney vault collections
The Black Diamond edition: these are collections of Disney animated features that were released between 1984 and 1994. These were a total of 20 movies, some of which included Pinocchio, the beauty and the Beast, and the little mermaid.
These are the rarest and most valuable Disney VHS tapes. They sell for $20 to $40 if they are in good condition, the state in which they are in could value them.
At the upper spine of the case, there will be a logo in the shape of a black diamond (the classic) that signals it is part of the company.
The masterpiece collection: they are the next most valuable in the rankings of most valuable VHS tapes. These were the collection of Disney movies and animated features which were released from 1994 to 1999. This collection was the first to release shows like Snow White videotapes! These tapes may not be as valued as the Disney Black Diamond edition.
The Gold classic collection: ranks behind the Black Diamond edition and the Masterpiece collection of old Disney VHS tapes is the Gold Classic Collection.
This collection of animated features was released from 2000 to 2001 and began with one of our old favorites –Toy Story. Collecting nearly 27 films, the series ended with Oliver and Company after a year and 5 months.
The Disney vault collection: the Disney Vault is the illustrative place in which Disney VHS tapes that were released initially were hidden from the public eye after only being available to be bought for a limited time.
Ultimately, this approach made these withheld Disney VHS tapes to be of a certain value.
Although the Disney Vault was certainly prominent in its prime, VHS tapes containing its emblem are no longer in existence. The Vault lives on through Disney+.
Based on these rankings, you would have an idea to what extent your Disney VHS tapes are worth. Go through your tape collections to see just how many of the most valuable VHS tapes you have in your possession.
15 most valuable Disney VHS tapes
Here’s a list that we have compiled of the 15 most valuable Disney VHS tapes:
1. The 101 Dalmatians
The 101 Dalmatians is a story of Perdita and Pongo who went on to produce a family of 99 Dalmatian puppies in the course of the movie.
Unfortunately, the fun and games end when the villain Cruella shows up. Inspired by Anita’s spotted fur coat, Cruella decides that she wants to create the garments out of actual Dalmatian puppies.
This Disney movie is very different from the typical animated feature of the studios. It is without a heroic prince or princess or even damsel in distress. Instead, it is the story of a regular family trying to make the ends meet while also looking after their dear pets.
In a good condition, The black diamond edition of The 101 Dalmatian can sell for as much as $5,000.
2. Aladdin
The next most valuable Disney VHS tapes are that of Aladdin. This was arguably the first Disney movie that drifted away from the damsel-in-distress female character to bring about a competent and strong female lead in the form of Princess Jasmine.
She had a tiger for a pet, and she never shied away from danger. Her love story with the street urchin Aladdin who came into possession of a magical lamp, housing a genie that has the power to grant three wishes, has captured the interest of many.
In a good condition, it has a value of $1,500
3. The Lion King
Almost everyone knows the story of Simba, the son of Mufasa, The lion cub, Simba is the apparent heir to Mufasa’s position as the King of the jungle.
However, Mufasa is betrayed and killed by his brother. Consumed with guilt and chased by Scar’s pack of hyenas, Simba leaves the kingdom Lands with no hope of return.
In a good condition, the Black Diamond Edition of the Lion King valued at $1,500
4. The Jungle Book
This is a tale about a boy who grows up in the jungle with some friendly (and some not-so-friendly) animals.
The Black Diamond Edition of the Jungle Book has a value of up to $1,200.
5. The little mermaid
This is a tale about an unapologetic, rebellious and courageous mermaid, Ariel who not only has the most amazing singing voice but also is willing to exchange it for a pair of legs to walk on land with the prince she’s fallen in love with from below sea level. Conflict ensues courtesy of Ursula, an evil sea witch who imprisons merfolk in a polyps garden, and who has cast a spell.
In a good condition, the black diamond Edition of the Little Mermaid has a value of $1,000.
6. Beauty and the Beast
The animated movie, Beauty and the Beast illustrates the motto of ‘beautiful on the inside. It has a headstrong, defiant female lead character, Belle. The film also turns the damsel-in-distress stereotype on its head, making out the beast as the one in distress and need of rescue.
In a good condition, the Black Edition of Beauty and the Beast has a value of $550.
7. The Fox and the Hound
The film is a story of Tod and Copper who become the best of friends, living an adventurous life, and having a fun time together.
But there comes the twist, Tod is a fox and Copper is a bloodhound who will eventually grow up to understand as nature would have it, that hounds hunt foxes.
In a good condition, the Black Diamond Edition of the Fox and the Hound has a value of $500.
8. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
This was the first movie from the stables of Disney studios. It’s a story of snow-white. When Snow White, a princess, is exiled by her stepmother, an evil queen who wants to kill her to rule over the whole kingdom, she runs into a forest. Soon, she is rescued by seven dwarfs who form a friendship with her.
In good condition, a masterpiece collection of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs VHS tape has a value of $329.
9. Bambi
Along with his trusty friends, Thumper, a rabbit, and Flower the skunk, Bambi, a deer growing up in the forest, learns about the joy as well as the tragedy that comes with life.
His father is The Great Prince of the Forest who teaches Bambi about the dangers of the open grassland where hunters can openly spot animals. He goes on to meet a young doe Faline.
In good condition, The Black Diamond edition of Bambi has a value of $250.
10. Cinderella
This is one of those stories that we practically grew up with. It was a tale that started with the evil-stepmother troupe. Cinderella is a girl who is forced to cook and clean all day in her own home. When an event is thrown, the stepmother and her stepsisters leave Cinderella behind to finish the chores and forbid her from attending the event. However, Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother comes to the rescue. She transforms Cinderella into this elegant prince. She attends the event and falls in love with Prince Charming.
In a good condition, the Black Diamond edition of Cinderella has a value of $100.
11. Sleeping Beauty
This is the tale of a beautiful Princess, Aurora who is cursed to sleep forever on her 16th birthday by Maleficent. The fairy felt offended at the idea of being left out of a celebration to which the whole kingdom was invited. However, Maleficent does leave the loophole that Aurora can be awakened from her deep slumber with a kiss of true love.
In a good condition, this Black Diamond edition VHS tape has a value of $100
12. Fantasia
The Black Diamond Edition VHS tape of Fantasia has gorgeous cover art. Centering the classic masterpiece is the picture of Mickey Mouse himself, in his iconic sorcerer’s costume. The Mickey Mouse section might be what most of us remember from Fantasia, but there are so many wonderful scenes of dancing, singing animals, and twirling lights in this movie.
In a good condition, The Black Diamond edition of Fantasia has a value of up to $100
13. Song of the south
This could be said to be the most controversial movie that Disney ever produced. This is the only entry on this list that’s not either a Black Diamond Edition or a First Edition! Just owning this old VHS is enough to earn you some cash.
The play takes place right after the American Civil War and the abolition of the slave trade. The story is of a boy named Johnny who is visiting his grandmother’s farm.
The old Disney VHS tape of the song of the south has a value of up to $100.
14. The Lady and the Tramp
The Lady and the Tramp is a beautiful love story that shows the titular Lady and Tramp as dogs who live in quite different circumstances. Lady is a cocker spaniel that belongs to a happy couple. Tramp is a mutt who lives on the streets and feeds himself by eating leftovers from a local Italian restaurant in the neighborhood.
In good condition, the masterpiece collection of The Lady and the Tramp has a value of $99.
15. The Rescuers & The Rescuers Down Under
It is the sequel to the 1977 film, The Rescuers which was based on the novels written by Margery Sharp. In The Rescuers Down Under, Bernard and Bianca travel to the Australian Outback to save a boy named Cody from a villainous poacher in pursuit of an endangered bird of prey.
In a good condition, The masterpiece collection of The Rescuers & The Rescuers Down Under has a value of up to $50.
These are some of the most valuable Disney VHS tapes that we have compiled for you.
Final words
Your old Disney VHS tapes could be worth a fortune or they could be worth less than $1.
Regardless of the price attached to the tapes, the fact is that they have a certain amount of value.
You can check out online stores like eBay, Amazon, or even pawn shops, and flea markets close to you to buy or sell your old Disney VHS tapes.
So, just how much are your old Disney VHS tapes worth?
