Most of you from the 90s probably remember waiting for the latest movie to rewind on a VHS tape. Back in the good old days, these large storage containers were the primary source of entertainment in most homes. Like a solid book collection, people then loved showing off their VHS collection back then. They strongly dominated the market from the ’70s to the late 90s and early 2000s.
Let’s rewind and look at the history of the VHS and the best collectible sealed tapes you can find today.
THE HISTORY OF VHS
In the 1950s, magnetic tapes were widely used in Hollywood to record movies. But the use of magnetic tapes wasn’t cost-effective and became unsuitable for daily use. After nearly two decades, Japan successfully developed an affordable technology called the JVC or the Victory Company of Japan. The U-Matic tapes became an instant hit in Japan after they were first introduced to the public in 1971.
Its use became more widespread in the upcoming years, and in 1977, VHS tapes were introduced in the US. The VHS tapes were first revealed in Japan in 1976. After they became a hit, the tapes made a firm standing in the US market a year later. The design ensured there wasn’t any unspooling inside the VCR with the help of sensors at the start and end of the tape.
The cassette tapes were enclosed in plastic casings and made for a lightweight product. Each tape could easily hold hours’ worth of video footage with ease.
Initially, the VHS was called Vertical Helical Scan, but later it was changed to Video Home System because of the immense popularity it received from people. The VHS used two magnetic tapes, one as a supply reel and the other as a take-up reel.
The VHS was widely used till the early 2000s, but because of the invention of new and improved technologies, they found their place in the storage rooms of homes. But it is worth noting that these tapes dominated and reigned over the home entertainment sector for almost three decades. Though they had competition even before the 2000s, they remained the go-to technology for movie-lovers.
The biggest competitor of the VHS was Betamax. Betamax was a product developed by Sony, offering superior technology. However, it was costly, so most people preferred using VHS cassettes.
HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE SEALED VHS TAPES
The trend of collecting retro items is on the rise, and the VHS tapes are among the most popular items for which collectors are constantly hunting. If you have old VHS cassettes lying around at home, chances are they are sitting in your storage and collecting dust.
But they can be worth a fortune , especially the unopened ones. If you look at your collection of tapes, you may be able to sell them for an exceptionally high price. If you scour eBay, you’ll find that some of the sealed VHS tapes are worth thousands of dollars.
Here is a list of some of the most highly collectible sealed tapes you can find today:
1. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1983)
The Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the classical hits from the 80s featuring Indiana Jones. The movie is about Indiana Jones hunting for the Ark of the Convent before the Nazis came. The movie was released in 1981, directed by Steven Spielberg.
The sealed version of the VHS cassette holds a lot of value. After receiving almost 40 bids, the tape was sold for a high price of $12,679.
2. JAWS (1983)
Who can forget the terror you experience after watching Jaws for the first time? The movie features a 35 feet giant shark that gets trapped in a theme park and is on the hunt for anyone in sight. The sons of a police chief take on the job of rescuing everyone from the gigantic monster on the loose.
It was easily one of the most-watched movies back in the day after becoming an instant hit. A sealed VHS cassette sold for $12,500 on eBay after receiving 16 bids.
3. FIRST BLOOD (1982)
The action-adventure film First Blood is about a former soldier of the US army, traumatized by the haunting memories of the Vietnam war. The trouble begins when he gets into an incident with a sheriff from a small town. Consequently, his violent side gets badly triggered.
A brand new version of the First Blood sealed tape was sold on eBay at a high price of $9,999.99.
4. BARNEY & FRIENDS ‘PRACTICE MAKES MUSIC’ (1992)
Who doesn’t love Barney? The Practice Makes Music Episode features Greg Murray teaching children about music. In the episode, Michael feels extremely nervous about playing the cello solo. Greg helps him overcome his fear with his unique antics. It is the 20th episode of the first season of Barney & Friends.
Even though the tape wasn’t sealed, it still caught 90 bids and was sold for $10,900. The seller had explained that even though the tape was used, it was still in a top condition without cracks or wrinkles.
WRAPPING UP
f you have any sealed VHS tapes lying around in your attic, you can make a fortune out of them by getting high bids. Even if your tapes are opened, they can still fetch a relatively high price. Of course, they may not be as high as some of the sealed ones, but still, they will be worth something.
At How to Become a Picker, we specialize in buying, collecting, and reselling valuable antiques, vintage, and retros from garage sales, auctions, and thrift stores. We encourage new pickers by helping them find unique and valuable items for their collection.
You, too, can become a picker; visit our website http://www.howtobecomeapicker.com for more details