Rare VHS Tapes ~~ A Collector's Guide to Videotapes
Ranked #894 in Entertainment, #9,442 overall
A Collector's Guide to Rare VHS Tapes Including the History, Care and Building of Your Collection
What follows on this page is a discussion of rare VHS tapes, from the history to the current status of the videocassette, from how to care for and preserve your video tapes to help collecting old, hard-to-find VHS movies.
The Video Home System (VHS) was born in 1976. By the 1990s, it was the standard format to record on. However, DVDs were born in 1997 and it was in 2003 that DVDs first outsold VHS tapes. By 2006, most studios had stopped releasing new movies in VHS format.
It is 2010 now but VHS tapes are not totally dead. Believe it or not, there is still a market for some VHS tapes. There are people who simply have not upgraded to DVD yet. However, there are also a number of collectors who want titles that have not been released on and may never be released on DVD or newer formats.
Click here to buy
Vincent Price's
The House of the Seven Gables,
which has been released on DVD
but at this time continues to be
somewhat hard to find.
VHS Videotape Rewind T-Shirts
A great gift for a videotape fan!
Stop, Rewind, Rewatch by scoman99
Get a tee shirt at www.zazzle.com
Care of Your Old Video Tapes
Your VHS tapes will last longer if you take care of them properly.
To help your VHS tapes last as long as possible, the experts recommend the following:
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Store tapes between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 40 to 60 percent humidity. If you are comfortable, probably your tapes are.
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Avoid sudden temperature changes, even within these recommended zones. Neither cold, damp basements nor hot, dusty attics are good choices for storing your tapes.
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Be especially careful of condensation - allow at least 24 hours before using when you change the temperature or humidity of your tape.
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Keep the tapes evenly wound and always rewind them fully. If the tape looks uneven, wind it again. If possible, rewind at slower speeds.
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Store tapes upright as you would books and keep them in their original cases. You can buy plastic cases to store them in but even the cardboard cases do a good job of keeping the dust away.
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Put the labels on correctly, where they belong and do not add labels on top of labels. They can interfere with cassette loading and possibly come off inside your VCR.
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Exercise your tapes once every three years by rewinding or forwarding them.
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Avoid magnetic fields - the field around any magnet. Your tapes can be erased so do not store them near speakers, motors, toys or other magnetic sources.
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Transfer your footage every seven years. That helps prevent the images and sounds from fading away.
Have You Seen These Rare Films by Disney?
Available from Amazon On VHS videotape only!
Building Your VHS Videotape Collection
What to watch for when buying rare and hard-to-find VHS tapes
There are still new copies of VHS tapes available in various marketplaces. This includes movies and films that have not yet and may never appear on DVD. These tapes can be extremely rare and if you find one, usually the seller only has one available. If you see a copy of a title that fits this category, do not hesitate and let it get away!
Old video tapes come in very different states of repair. Some have been well watched. Often they have rental stickers and the boxes are in rough shape. Common sense will tell you that, if the outside of a tape is in rough condition, the inside might not be in great shape either.
If you choose to buy a used video tape, it is very important that you consider the condition carefully. What condition is the box in? The cassette? In the event of an online purchase of a video tape, I believe that condition should be even more carefully assessed and discussed and, most importantly, that the seller should be willing to guarantee that the item is in working order. After all, paying the cost of an item plus a shipping charge is a considerable investment on your part.
Picture quality is a bit more difficult to evaluate. Remember that if you are purchasing a film originally made long before the advent of VHS and then put into VHS format in the 1980s, it will probably still look like an old film. However, the tape itself should play without any difficulties.
Rarity, popularity and condition of the cassette and the case determine the pricing. A brand-new VHS tape of a rare film may be a one-of-a-kind find. In that case, it is definitely worth more and the increase in cost may be worth it to you since you know you will be purchasing an item that has not been previously viewed.
Click here to buy
the somewhat hard-to-find
The Savage Garden videotape.
About Your VCR
If you are collecting VHS tapes, make sure you have a good VCR!
An important consideration if you are collecting VHS tapes is that it probably will not be long before manufacturers stop making VCRs since they have discontinued issuing new movies on VHS tapes. Do you have a good VCR that is going to allow you to continue to enjoy your movie collection? If not, now is probably the best time to buy a good one while they are still available!
I hope that the information in this guide is helpful to you when you are shopping for video tapes for your collection. I would love to help you find a title you have been searching for. Make sure to have a look at the videos I have listed in my eBay store, Treasures By Brenda, by clicking on this link. You never know what I might have in store for you!
Have You Seen These Rare Films?
Available from Amazon On VHS videotape only!
VCRs have never been as important as some of the things that showed up on a recent list of the top 25 vanishing things, like the family farm, but for around 30 years, the VCR was a basic tool in most homes. Today, VCRs and videotapes are almost gone with the only retail reminders being a few lonely, blank VHS tapes. Pre-recorded tapes are not made anymore and VCRs can be hard to find!
Never Forget: The Humble, Indispensable VHS
Newspaper Article By Marc Savlov of The Austin Chronicle, January 16, 2009
In this story two rather large fans of the VHS format discuss what it is they love about VHS tapes. They start by discussing their first experiences with VHS, which might sound like a story from your past. One of them tells of a Grandfather who was on the cutting edge and who brought home a huge VCR that might have cost $2,000 in 1981. Along with it came some family-safe movies. Remember, that before VHS, you could not watch movies at home unless they were being shown on television. For people buying VCRs in the early 1980s, it was a truly new experience. You opened a "huge, white clamshell case with a suction-y pop and within that was this black rectangle that held wonders."
Only about 25 percent of movies made before VHS were released on VHS. Today, just 50 percent of the movies issued on VHS are available on DVD. This means that there are a large number of movies that are simply gone. If the movies on VHS are allowed to simply slip away, they will be gone forever. People, particularly young people, are going to start collecting VHS the way they are collecting records today. Not because they are better but because they have a wider selection. Because if we do not, then many movies are simply going to disappear.
This article closes with the tale of customer looking for a movie they saw when they were 12 but being disgusted at only finding it available on VHS. If that is the only way to watch a movie you love, then shouldn't you be happy to watch it!?! Don't give up on videotapes! Read the full article by following the link below.
- Screens: Never Forget: The humble, indispensable VHS - The Austin Chronicle
- Alamo Drafthouse programmers Lars Nilsen and Zack Carlson talk about the rise of Netflix and their enduring love for old-fashioned tape.
What's a "VHS"? by rarefactory
Make Custom T Shirts at www.zazzle.com
Building your VHS tape collection?
Some Rare Movies and Films Are Only Available On VHS
Some of the films produced on VHS will not be released on DVD since the producers of DVDs want to produce those items they know they can sell. One business built up their VHS movie collection over 30-years and had over 50,000 movies on VHS; they have been steadily building a collection on DVD but say they do not have anywhere near that many movies on DVD.
Some films that have not been released on DVD have interesting stories behind their absence. Take, for instance, Barbra Streisand's 1983 movie Yentl
Movies From My eBay Auctions Valued At Between $25 and $100
All of my items feature FREE SHIPPING to Canada and the United States.
These items are available at auction from my eBay store, Treasures By Brenda. If there are no items in this box, it is either because my eBay store is closed or because I have no VHS tapes at auction right now.
Most of my videotapes are brand-new and factory sealed. The previewed videos have been tested and are guaranteed to work as described or your money will be cheerfully refunded.
Movies From My eBay Auctions Selling Below $25
RARE Christmas Special: For Better or For Worse: The Bestest Present
Popular animated television show available on videotape only.
This animated Christmas special, For Better or For Worse: The Bestest Present, was created based on Lynn Johnston's popular comic strip, For Better or For Worse. It was produced for Canadian television in December, 1986, and follows the Patterson family as they get ready for the holidays. Of course there are funny moments and a touching finale which combine to make a lovely film with some voices supplied by Johnston's children.
This is a very popular Christmas television special that is not available on DVD. However, sometimes it is available new and used through various sellers at Amazon or on eBay although beware that the rarity and popularity of this item dictates the price and new copies can sell for $50.
To find a copy of
'For Better or For Worse: The Bestest Present'
from Amazon click here.
Hot Tamales, Oops! I Mean Hot Videotapes!
These tapes are selling from other sellers on eBay for under $25.
These tapes are selling for under $25 to $50
These rare movies are selling for $51 to $100
These Rare VHS Tapes Are Selling For More Than $100
Like Alistair Cooke's America, a rare, classic, TV documentary.
More Rare Movie Reviews
You can check them all out by following these links.
Prolong The Life Of Your VCR By Cleaning The Heads
Basic supplies available through Amazon. Remember, Amazon offers free shipping on orders of $25 or more.
And By Using A Rewinder To Rewind Your Tapes
These ones are available brand-new from an eBay seller. New rewinders are becoming hard to find.
The Pinnacle Video Transfer Device
A Simple Device To Transfer Your Videotapes to Digital Files.
Are you searching for a simple way to transfer your VHS videotapes, your home movies, to a digital format? The Pinnacle Video Transfer Device is a simple, fairly easy-to-use and, most importantly, affordable device.
Are you searching for a special film that is only available on VHS?
What do you think about my Lens? I'd love to hear from you!
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1981jilly
Jan 13, 2012 @ 3:45 pm | delete
- Hi there. My first post. Wow VHS tapes? I use to have tons when I was a kid. After DVDs came out, I gave all of mine to my local library which they still donate tapes for kids sections, or they sell em. Sometimes you can try to sell them at a yard sale. in the summer, I am thinking of selling my DVDs, because I have switched to Blu Ray this year. It is hard at first, but once you see the new improvements of movies on BluRay, BR is the way to go! They are very expensive, but worth buying. Only some of the the RARE Disney movies that are out on DVD will not be on BR till hopefully in summer 2012. I'm still waiting for Aladdin and The Litle Mermaid to come to BluRay. So yeah, I see your guys' points about VHS. My neighbor had over 500 VHS tapes last year he sold at a yard sale. I bouht 10 and gave them to the library. Next time they sell em again, I can donate them again. So yeah; donation is the way to go for VHS tapes! As of 2012, all you see in stores is BluRay Players. DVDs will play on BluRay but not BluRay on a DVD player will not work. So I stick with a BluRay player if you want to keep your DVDs! Hope this helps.
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vlchelper7763
Nov 11, 2011 @ 4:42 pm | delete
- Yes. El Topo by Alexandro Jodorowsky
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KM9999999
Jul 1, 2011 @ 3:52 pm | delete
- I'm one of those rare people who still has and uses a VCR. I'm actually as happy watching something of it as I am on a DVD player. Nice lens.
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MisterJeremy
Jun 7, 2011 @ 4:58 pm | delete
- Good tips for storing and preserving video tapes. We have several movies on VHS that my kids watch. We will not need them in a few years, so I'd rather not buy them on DVD or Blu Ray.
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artyfax
Apr 13, 2011 @ 2:53 pm | delete
- I have a number ofVHS tapes but none that are rare as far as I know. My vhs machine has gone up the swanee and am considering wether to buy a new one or get the tapes transferred to DVD.
enjoyed the lens tho', some very petinent information.
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strayspay
Mar 27, 2011 @ 5:35 pm | delete
- What a great lens? I asked someone a question and they referred me to your lens - great help.
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Timewarp
Oct 12, 2010 @ 6:26 pm | delete
- Wow, people still collect VHS...I still have a few tapes and a player somewhere.
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riff999
Sep 18, 2010 @ 3:34 am | delete
- We still have quite a few hundred movies in VHS format. These tips will ensure that we can watch them in the future.
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Flynn_the_Cat
Sep 10, 2010 @ 10:39 am | delete
- Sadly our video player died, after about 20 years of use. And all our old tapes are getting mouldy! We're still hanging on to them though.
Lensrolled to my Cassette tapes lens!
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fanfreluche
Sep 9, 2010 @ 5:29 am | delete
- Very nice and informative lens. There is 2 movies I have been waiting for years to get on DVD, but I guess it won't happen. I keep hoping the Criterion collection will add them to their line, but no hope at the horizon. I have both on VHS.....but no VHS player:)
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Treasures-By-Brenda
Sep 22, 2010 @ 9:22 pm | delete
- Don't give up hope, fanfreluche! Criterion is masterfully transferring many of its movies, at least to blu-ray. I'm not sure if they're also doing DVD at the same time although I don't see why they wouldn't.
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Treasures-By-Brenda
Aug 29, 2010 @ 7:57 pm | delete
- Good luck to both of you. Unfortunately, tapes used for recording just aren't needed or wanted anymore. I think the best solution would be if someone came up with a way to recycle them. As it stands, I'm sure millions of tapes are getting dumped in the landfill sites on a regular basis.
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Grey_Lensman
Aug 2, 2010 @ 12:56 am | delete
- I have a huge VHS collection, over 1000 tapes, mostly home recorded TV shows, movies, History Channel specials, but a lot of commercial tapes too. My home is being foreclosed and I have nowhere to store the tapes, nowhere to move them to. If there are any collectors in the San Francisco - Monterey area who would like to take over my collection, I would happily give them to a new home.
Just post a note here. I have this set to email me with new comments. Then we can figure out how to connect without posting emails publicly.
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Treasures-By-Brenda
Aug 2, 2010 @ 6:17 am | delete
- Grey, I am sorry to hear of your circumstances but hope this note might help you find a home for these tapes. You could also try putting them on free sites like Kijjiji, if you haven't already.
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Grey_Lensman
Aug 2, 2010 @ 12:27 pm | delete
- Thanks Brenda. I had not heard of Kijjiji before. I will check it out.
The local recycling center has a bin just for tapes, but that seems a shame. I decided to give myself a week to see what I might come up with. I've gotten suggestions for eBay and Craig's List from several directions.
Shipping over 40 boxes seems a problem, but I should probably take one box to UPS to find out the cost.
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Be Kind and Rewind Mug
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A popular video store reminder from the golden years of VHS, comes back to life on this unique and retro gift idea.
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'Retro' VHS T-Shirts ~~ Perfect For A VHS Collector
Retro VHS Fan Black T-Shirt
"VHS - The Future of Home Video Entertainment"
VHS, the winner of the first home video format war now plays second fiddle to DVD. Turn the clock back with this vintage-aged graphic t-shirt.
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Be Kind and Rewind Dark T-Shirt
"Please... Be Kind and Rewind!"
A popular video store reminder from the golden years of VHS, comes back to life on this unique and retro gift idea.
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Fuji Videocassette Tape Advertisement
A Little Bit of Modern History
Photo By Amanda E. Lauter
by Treasures-By-Brenda
Yes, there are people still collecting VHS video tapes, particularly movies and films that have not been (and may never be) released on DVD.
Stop, Rewind,...
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Need A New VCR? How About A VHS DVD combination unit?
It is never too soon to replace your aging machine, or better yet, buy a back-up while they are still available!
Panasonic DMP-BD70V Blu-ray Disc/VHS Multimedia Player
Amazon Price: $500.00 (as of 02/13/2012)
Magnavox ZV457MG9 Dual Deck DVD/VCR Recorder
Amazon Price: $269.00 (as of 02/13/2012)
Magnavox ZV457MG9 Dual Deck DVD/VCR Recorder
Amazon Price: $269.00 (as of 02/13/2012)
