I’m sure most of us have a bunch of old VHS tapes sitting somewhere in the house. When we were kids one of the most common things we collected were VHS tapes with different kinds of cartoons and movies.

However, some people who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s were serious Disney fans. These people have stacks of Disney VHS tapes which makes us wonder –  are they holding any other value besides sentimental?

Cartoons like Little Mermaid, Petar Pan, Aladdin, Cinderella, and Bambi were among the most popular back in the day. Nowadays, all these VHS tapes reach high price tags on the online market, but one achieved the status of a very valuable one – Beauty and the Beast.

If you are an avid Disney fan you will be very interested in reading more about it. This is why we decided to do some thorough research and find out if the rumors about Beauty and the Beast VHS value are true. Stay tuned.

Short Turnaround On History Of Disney VHS Tapes

Did you know that over the span of 25 years, there were a total of 179 Disney VHS tapes released? However, the first Disney VHS tape was not released on the market so easily.

Before the 1980s, Disney was very strict about releasing certain movies such as Snow White, Bambi, and Pinnochio on tape, in fact, the board was so strict that the plan was to never release them as a home video.

However, as the generations grew older they realized that new generations as well deserve to watch classic Disney films but in the comfort of their own homes. In the early ‘80s, the board agreed to release Robin Hood on VHS tape to inspect the market. They did it by setting a very high price tag for that time, the first Robin Hood edition cost buyers $80.

This was a smart strategic move since if the price tag was too low, they would have a hard time determining why the VHS was successful. Was it the low price or the movie itself? In the past few years, a lot of old classic Disney movies were released on the VHS, among the first ones was Pinnochio.

But to grow and refresh the Disney fan base the old classic movies were re-released in theaters every seven years and after that, the new edition of VHS tape was placed on the market. This is why some VHS editions are very valuable while others aren’t.

Types Of Disney VHS Tapes

Black Diamond collection

The most sought-after and valuable collection is the Black Diamond collection with its 20 tapes that were released between 1984 and 1994. Some of the Black Diamond tapes were sold for tens of thousands of dollars while others achieved a $30 price tag.

Like with all antique items the estimated value depends on the quality of the tape. If it’s in almost perfect condition, then it can sell for a high price. If it’s been used, the price will be significantly reduced. In order to find out if your VHS tape is from the Black Diamond collection there should be a black diamond logo on the spine side of the tape. The most valuable Black Diamond tapes are Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid.

Cartoon Classics collection

This edition was released in 2 series. The first one was from 1983-1986, and the second one was from 1987-1992. Cartoon classics edition was one of the longest-running Disney VHS lines.

You will recognize this edition by the label “Cartoon Classics” that is written on the front cover. The first series had this phrase written in a white box with the sorcerer Mickey. The second series featured a white phrase as well but was accompanied by iconic Disney characters on bold color backgrounds.

Cartoon Classics limited gold edition

These editions are the spin-off of the Cartoon Classics edition. The main difference is that this series featured exclusive classic Disney shorts. The first series was released in 1984 and the second one in 1985.

How do you know your VHS tape is from this limited gold edition? Check the front cover for a finely dressed Disney character with a gold background. Also, the tape must have the phrase “Cartoon Classics – Limited Gold Edition” written in a black box.

Masterpiece collection

The Disney Masterpiece Collection was released in a period from 1994 until 1999. What set this edition apart from others is that this series featured the first home video release of Snow White.

How to determine that your VHS is a Disney Masterpiece VHS? All of the VHS tapes in this collection have the word Masterpiece stamped in capital letters on the front cover. Also, most of the Masterpiece editions have the phrase “Walt Disney Masterpiece Collection” on a purple background with a silver holographic castle logo.

Gold Classic collection

The Disney Gold Classic collection is well known for featuring new-age movies that were very popular among kids in the period 2000 to 2001. This series began with Toy Story and ended with Oliver and Company VHS tape.

All of these VHS tapes have “Gold Collection” written on both the spine and the front cover. Also, look for the golden castle logo on a red background and the word  Classic printed underneath.

Platinum edition

The Disney Platinum Editions feature 13 Disney best-selling animated classics. All these are digitally remastered and released from the period of 2001 until 2009. While the plan was to release all 13 movies in both VHS and DVD versions, only 8 platinum edition movies were made as VHS. The last VHS edition was of Little Mermaid in 2007.

How will you recognize this VHS? The phrase “Platinum Edition” will be written on a silver holographic background on the case cover.

How Valuable Beauty And The Beast VHS Tape Is?

There are many different versions of the Beauty and the Beast VHS. That means that some editions are very rare and that a lot of collectors will gladly pay a great amount of money for them.

Like with all other Disney VHS tapes, the most rare and valuable ones are from the Black Diamond Edition. This edition of Beauty and the Beast VHS tape was released in 1992 in limited quantities and it is very hard to find. Also, the 1993 Spanish and 1991  Australian releases of this tape are very valuable and quite hard to find.

Here is the list of some of the highest price tags that Back Diamond Edition of Beauty and the Beast achieved on the online market in October 2022!

  1. Beauty and The Beast (VHS, 1992, Black Diamond Classic) – $7,200
  2. Beauty and the Beast (VHS, 1992, Disney Classic Black Diamond Edition) – $4,500
  3. Beauty and The Beast (VHS, 1992, Black Diamond Classic) – $3,700
  4. Beauty and The Beast (VHS, 1992, Black Diamond Classic) – $2,000
  5. Black Diamond Editon RARE Beauty and the Beast (VHS, 1992) – $1,800
  6. Beauty and The Beast (VHS, 1992, Black Diamond Classic) – $900

However, in the past few weeks, a lot of people posted this tape for auction on the platforms such as eBay and Etsy. The auction prices are crazy and they go up by a few hundred thousands of dollars! Here is the list of the current auction prices.

  1. Beauty and the Beast (VHS, 1992) Walt Disney’s Black Diamond Classic NEW SEALED – $500,000
  2. Beauty and the Beast VHS 1992 Walt Disney Classic *Black Diamond* 💎- $239,992
  3. Beauty and the Beast Walt Disney’s Black Diamond Classic (VHS, 1992) NEW SEALED – $35,000

The reason why I mentioned these prices here is to make sure that you understand how the market for collectible items like this works. As you know VHS tapes lose magnetism over time, which means that eventually, they will stop working.

However, when some VHS tapes become viral on the internet people do tend to make the most out of it and sell them for as much money as they can. The price on the market is directly dictated by the demand and how much are people willing to pay.

How Can You Date Disney VHS Tapes?

The best way is to look for the print date/time, and the VHS copyright year, or if you can’t find these then look for the content copyright year. Here’s how you can do each:

  • Print date or time – The best way is to find the exact date or time when the specific tape was manufactured. What you should do is look for the 6-digit code-4-digit code on the side of the VHS. The first 6 digits refer to the date of production (the format is MMDDYY – 120293) and the following 4 digits refer to the time of manufacture (1945 – 7:45 pm)
  • VHS copyright year – You can also look for the year when the particular VHS was released. However, that is not necessarily the date of manufacture. Look for it on the tape label or the spine of the VHS case.
  • Content copyright year – This one confuses people a lot. This is the year when the content was first released. In a lot of cases, this is decades before the particular VHS release date. To find out the right year you can google the name of the content, or watch the VHS end credits. The content copyright year is located next to the Disney logo.

How important is the quality of the VHS tape you are selling/buying?

When you are looking to sell or purchase a Disney VHS tape the crucial factor is the quality. If the tape has never been opened and is sealed in shrink wrap then you scored a jackpot if you are the seller. On the other hand, if you are a buyer this means you should be prepared to pay a higher price than you expected.

If the tape is open that doesn’t mean it’s of bad quality. Check to see the date when it is purchased. VHS tapes from the 1990s or earlier will have some small damages but if the tape was kept in a good condition they will be minimal.

Also, remember that the VHS tapes can be entirely wiped by a magnetic field so if the tapes were stored close to a magnet, the footage could be irreparably damaged. The best way to check if the VHS tape is still in good condition is to run it through a VHS player yourself. Or if you don’t have one make sure you contact some professional to help you out.

Where To Sell Or Buy Disney VHS Tapes?

If you have some rare Disney VHS tapes that you want to sell, then you have several options.

Obviously, the first one is platforms such as eBay and Etsy. These platforms have over 200 million users so that only enhances your chances to sell your items. cassettes. However, make sure you price them fairly or you won’t sell them.

The next choice should be Amazon. I get that most of you are surprised now, but hear me out. Since this website became global you have more chances to sell your item, now some VHS collector from a foreign country can see your offer and maybe bid more money than anyone else. You can try to sell your VHS tape on Facebook, Instagram, or OfferUp.

If you don’t want to experiment on the internet then sell your VHS tape locally in thrift stores, pawn shops, and flea markets. Remember, you will get lower prices at places like this since these people buy products to sell them further and make some money on them. For those who aren’t lazy, start hunting on garage sales, you will be surprised what you can find there and for what prices.

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FAQ

Do VHS tapes degrade over time?

Evey VHS tape will degrade with time, E]even those that are very valuable and high in quality like the Black Diamond series. You can’t save magnetic tape from deteriorating over the years. The tape will dry out, and flake away, and no matter how you store them the footage will be damaged. They are simply not made to last for decades. The real value lies only in the intact tape.

What’s the last Disney VHS release?

There are a lot of different releases of almost every Disney movie. However, there is one classic movie that got a sequel and it was Bambi. Bambi II was released on VHS tape on February 7, 2006, and this is the last Disney movie ever released on VHS.

In The End, Does Disney VHS Tapes Worth Anything?

When it comes to money, most Disney VHS tapes do not worth a lot. However, some special editions such as the Black Diamond collection can be worth thousands, according to some experts. You should know that the Black Diamond editions were the original VHS versions of the first release.

The best advice I can give you is to keep in mind that some item is worth only the amount that someone is willing to pay for it. The main reason why these VHS tapes aren’t very valuable is that the market is oversaturated. Over the 25 yeast, more than 25 million of VHS tapes were sold and everyone think their specimen is worth a lot.

If you are a passionate collector of Disney movies make sure you don’t get scammed and pay a price that isn’t real.

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