Lion King, as we all probably know by now, is a 1994 animated musical drama that has taken over the world by storm when it was first released. The plot is set in a kingdom of lions in Africa, telling the story of Simba and his succession to his father Mufasa, who was a King of the Pride Lands.
As simple as this story sounds, it has resonated with millions of people around the world, kids and adults, and received critical acclaim from even the most demanding critics. Ever since its release, the Lion King has been re-released, featured in theaters around the world, and was a main inspiration for several live shows. Nowadays, Lion King stands as one of the best-animated movies ever made, awakening nostalgic feelings whenever it is mentioned.
But, we’re not here to talk about how incredible Lion King is; we’re here to tackle the ongoing craze over the original Lion King VHS tape. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’ve noticed this as well and want to know whether the tapes are really worth any money or if is this just yet another Internet fabrication. So, without further ado, let’s get right into it!
The Lion King VHS Tape: How Much Money Is The Lion King Vhs Worth?
Release and Sales
The original Lion King VHS tape and laserdisc were first released in 1994 and 1995. The VHS edition of the animated movie contained a special preview for the Walt Disney Pictures movie called Pocahontas (it was a new title back then), which was a global hit itself as well.
The tape also contained a Deluxe Edition of the film, including the very making of The Lion King, added storyboards, character design, and general ‘behind-the-scenes’ regarding the concept art, animation, and directors’ commentary. Overall, the content of the original Lion King VHS tape and laserdisc was abundant, especially for the die-hard fans of the Lion King story.
The Lion King VHS tape became the best-selling videotape of all time. This means that the tape was sold in millions. To be exact, on the very first day of the tape release, 4.5 million tapes were sold immediately. The VHS tape totaled around 30 million over a span of three years. Around 23 million Lion King VHS tapes were shipped and sold overseas.
Original Value
It is difficult to come across the original Lion King VHS tape price, but here’s the deal; all of the VHS tapes had around the same price. The difference only lay in the recency of the movie release. For example, if a movie has just been released on VHS tapes, the price would be a bit higher than the ‘older’ movies/tapes. According to this information, we can deduce that the average price of the original Lion King VHS tape in 1994/1995 was anywhere between 2.50 USD and 15 USD. Nevertheless, the price nowadays is definitely, and considerably different.
Current Value (in 2023)
Times have changed, and now more than ever people are looking at the 1990s as the perfect times. As you may have noticed, everything from the 1990s is making a comeback; from fashion trends to famous ’90s celebrities, TV shows, and movies, including the very Disney classics (that are still very much rewatchable). Because of this huge comeback, the prices of these old, vintage items are skyrocketing. Vintage, nostalgic, and still loveable, passing the test of time; all of this is making the pricetags reach 4-digit numbers. The same goes for the Lion King VHS tapes.
We’ve done our research, and gone through all of the popular auction websites. Every single one has listings of old Lion King VHS tapes, and the prices are far from low. To make things more accountable, we’ve decided to see how the prices changes over the course of the past few years.
Up until 2020 (and the terrible pandemic that had us all locked up in our homes), people did sell vintage Lion King tapes for a considerable price tag; however, the price was still in 2- or 3-digit numbers. An approximate cost of a Lion King VHS tape was between 200 USD and 300 USD.
However, with the beginning of 2020, and everything that has been happening in the past years, people got into revisiting ‘the good old times’. This has ultimately led to the demand increase (of times such as Lion King and old Disney VHS tapes), which has also led to a significant increase in the cost of these tapes.
For example, the Lion King VHS tapes sold in the past three years have had a pricetag of 1000 USD and higher. The highest price tag for a Lion King VHS tape was an incredible 10,000 USD. It is important to mention that nowadays the price of the Lion King VHS tape varies, reaching thousands of dollars at auctions, while still available for several hundred dollars in online auction listings. The price tag differs for multiple reasons, some of the main ones being the condition of the tape as well as the case, the usage/non-usage of the tape, and of course, the year when it was released/purchased.
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Where To Buy/Sell Lion King VHS Tape?
Seeing these price tags, many rush to their basements to search for the vintage Lion King VHS tape, presumably to sell. If you’re also looking to sell, or purchase a vintage Lion King tape, make sure to check out some of the following online auction websites;
- Ebay– this is currently one of the best places to sell and purchase Lion King VHS tapes. The listings show tapes in excellent condition, and the prices do reach thousands of dollars. Nevertheless, there is something for everyone’s budget, so if you’re tighter with cash but still want your own Lion King copy, you can find VHS tapes ranging from several dollars to 300 USD, for the original, Deluxe editions.
- Ruby Lane– though this online auction website doesn’t currently offer a wide range of Lion King VHS tapes, there are still a few listed for sale. This website is also one of the best when it comes to reliable selling/purchasing of antiques, so you can be sure to have a good experience. The current pricetags on this website for the VHS tape are pretty low, so bear in mind to make your offers on time.
- Etsy– alongside eBay, Etsy is one of the best online vintage auction websites where you can find an abundance of Lion King VHS tapes. The prices range from super affordable to extremely expensive (one Lion King VHS tape is currently being sold for an incredible 15,000 USD). Make sure to sift through the offers and find what’s best for you.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, the current value of the Lion King VHS tape is definitely skyrocketing. If you’re looking to purchase one for yourself, we suggest you hurry up and check out the aforementioned online auction websites; they’re the most reliable online places to purchase genuine vintage items. If you’re looking to sell, we know you might be tempted to set a high starting price, but make sure that the price is in line with the condition of the tape you’re selling. We wish you good luck and hopefully, you had fun taking a trip down memory lane.
