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TOP 10 Most Expensive Disney VHS Tapes of All Time (With a Surprise!)

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If you’re like me, you grew up watching Disney VHS tapes on repeat. Even if our “Be Kind Rewind” days are behind us, we all still have that love for the original Walt Disney movies on VHS cassette we grew up with. With that in mind, you may have wondered if you have some financial value in all those VHS tapes! Along those lines, you’re probably also wondering, “What is the most expensive Disney VHS tape ever sold?” If that’s your question, then you’re in the right place! Read on for the top 10 most expensive Disney VHS tapes of all time.

Collection of Disney VHS [Source: Paul Sableman on Flickr]

What to Look for in Your Disney VHS Collection at Home

Growing up, you may remember watching your favorite Disney animated films on VHS. What simpler times those were!

These days, VHS and even DVDs have been rendered obsolete due to the rise of streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, HBO+, and Disney’s own Disney+. 

Due to this fact, you may want to head on up to the attic and check the labels on your Disney VHS boxes, because you could have a goldmine right underneath your nose.

Don’t get too excited just yet, though. Not all Disney VHS tapes are valuable. Make sure that yours follow these guidelines:

Disney’s Black Diamond collection of films created between 1984-1994 includes some of the most expensive Disney VHSs. 

When checking yours, look for the Black Diamond marking on the spine of the VHS clamshell case or directly on the tape.

Another tag to look for is the title “A Walt Disney Classic.” 

These tapes, too, are some of the rarest and most expensive Disney VHSs around, and if your tape happens to have both the Black Diamond marking and “A Walt Disney Classic” logo, you might just be looking at one of the most valuable Disney VHSs in existence.

Top 10 Most Expensive Disney VHS Tapes of All Time

Below, we have compiled a list of the top 10 most expensive Disney VHS. Enjoy!

1. Beauty and the Beast – $15,000

Beauty and the Beast [Source: throwbacks.com]
Beauty and the Beast [Source: throwbacks.com]

According to an article written by TheRichest.com, this Black Diamond classic is the most expensive Disney VHS. 

Make sure you check your copy!

It, too, may generate a pretty penny for your bank account.

It’s amazing that an old VHS copy of Beauty and the Beast has sold for $15,000!

Don’t you think?

2. 101 Dalmations – $14,000

101 Dalmatians [Source: vhscollector.com]
101 Dalmatians [Source: vhscollector.com]

The Rarest wrote an article listing the top 8 rarest Disney VHSs and their worth.

All of them are Black Diamond classics.

Their number one most expensive Disney VHS is this beautiful film about puppies, their parents, and their parents’ parents!

(And one cruel villain who shall not be named…)

Can you believe that 101 Dalmations is worth $14,000? Well, it is!

3. The Little Mermaid – $9,503

The Little Mermaid Banned Cover [Source: disney.fandom.com]
The Little Mermaid Banned Cover [Source: disney.fandom.com]

In the same article by The Rarest, the Black Diamond version of The Little Mermaid is listed as one of the most expensive Disney VHS tapes. 

You may remember this fun film.

But I bet you didn’t know that the original cover art was recalled due to a big controversy? (There was a questionable image inside the castle spires.)

The cover art was “banned,” making the VHS containing the original art the most valuable of The Little Mermaid copies running at $9,503.

Pretty outrageous, right?

4. The Lion King – $6,750

The Lion King [Source: kidizen.com]
The Lion King [Source: kidizen.com]

Again, The Rarest names The Lion King Black Diamond classic as another one of the most expensive Disney VHSs. 

This film is probably included as one of the most valuable due to both its heartwarming and heartwrenching storyline.

One lucky collector bought The Lion King for $6,750! Almost unbelievable.

Make sure to get your copy checked out to see what it could be worth!

5. Lady and the Tramp – $5,344

Lady and the Tramp [Source disney.fandom.com]
Lady and the Tramp [Source: disney.fandom.com]

Lady and the Tramp, one of the cutest stories ever told, has also been labeled one of the most expensive Disney VHSs. 

Growing up, you probably had a copy at home — and all your friends did, too!

That meant you could watch it anywhere you went!

Look for the Black Diamond version of Lady in the Tramp in your collection. It could be worth a whopping $5,344!

6. Cinderella – $3,500

Cinderella [Source: disney-vhs-openings.fandom.com]
Cinderella [Source: disney-vhs-openings.fandom.com]

You might remember watching this movie as a child and whisking away into the magic of this beautiful love story.

You probably wished that you, too, had a fairy godmother. I sure did. (And sometimes still do!)

This Black Diamond Classic has also made our list of one of the most expensive Disney VHS films.  

Don’t forget that the most expensive copy of Cinderella sold for $3,500.

Check your collection to see if you own this favorite. It could be worth a small fortune!

7. The Great Mouse Detective Black Diamond Edition – $2,525.25

The Great Mouse Detective [Source: disney.fandom.com]
The Great Mouse Detective [Source: disney.fandom.com]

We promised a surprise…

Here it is!

This one may surprise you as it is not one of Disney’s most popular animated films.

The Great Mouse Detective that mimics Sherlock Holmes is definitely fascinating and it has a devoted following (like yours truly).

But it is valuable enough to make it on our list of one of Disney’s most expensive VHS tapes. 

Even if you haven’t heard of this one before, so many Disney VHS tapes can be found at thrift stores and garage sales, and people don’t even realize what they have under their noses!

So go hunting and see if you can find a copy of this awesome film.

Your copy of The Great Mouse Detective could be worth the same high price of $2,525.25. What a surprise that would be!

8. Bambi The Original Classic Black Diamond – $2,000

Bambi [Source: disney.fandom.com]
Bambi [Source: disney.fandom.com]

Bambi is one of my personal favorites. I used to watch this movie at least once a day as a child. 

Its heartwarming story will give courage to younger viewers and inspiration to its older audience. 

The good news is that this Disney VHS has also been deemed as one of the most expensive of its kind, so if you own one of these, make sure you find out its true value.

The most expensive version of Bambi has sold at the massive price of $2,000!

9. Aladdin and Aladdin King of Thieves – $1,500

Aladdin and Aladdin King of Thieves [Source: adverts.ie]
Aladdin and Aladdin King of Thieves [Source: adverts.ie]

This selection comes in twos. 

Both of these stories follow Aladdin through his far-eastern desert adventures which I’m sure you already know, but if you haven’t watched the second one of these amazing movies, it’s a must-see!

If you own both Aladdin and Aladdin and the King of Thieves, you may be adding an extra $2,000 to your expense account. 

10. The Jungle Book Black Diamond Edition – $1,200

The Jungle Book [Source: disney.fandom.com]
The Jungle Book [Source: disney.fandom.com]

This movie is definitely on the top of my favorites list as well.

The Jungle Book, another Black Diamond classic, is (not surprisingly) one of the most expensive Disney VHS tapes, according to an article written by Empowered Imaging.

If you have a copy of the Black Diamond version of The Jungle Book, it could be worth $1,200, too.

There are so many different Disney classics we could have included in this short list, but these are the select few that were listed as the top most expensive Disney VHSs around. 

Make sure you do your own research when attempting to add to your own collection. There are ne’er-do-wells out there who may try to sell you some of these that are less than valuable.  

If you’re trying to measure the worth of some of your Disney VHSs, get the opinion of professional grading companies who can value your tapes for what they are actually worth.

Have a magical day!

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