Probably the most popular online portal for vintage-lovers to peruse, eBay is a great place to test the waters for your VHS collection. Take some time to see the pricing of similar tapes and then mark your accordingly. Read more about listing your VHS tapes on eBay.
How to recycle VHS tapes
Your old VHS tapes might actually be worth something
Here are some options.Thrift Stores. Most thrift stores will accept donations of VHS tapes.Green Disk. Green Disk will recycle your old VHS tapes for you.Freecycle. Offer your VHS tapes on Freecycle and hope somebody else wants them.Make Scarecrows. ... Knit With the Tape.
Many VHS tapes are worth 50 cents to a few dollars, though collectible tapes can sell for up to $50 or more. Betamax tapes can sell for up to $20 or more.
Some charity shops might still take VHS tapes, but many of them will not do so anymore. Unfortunately, VHS tapes just don't sell well in these shops, so they would rather save their shelf space for DVDs. However, some vintage shops and old record stores will sometimes accept VHS tapes and might even pay for them.
Best Buy stores accept drop off of VHS tapes, although the company's website indicates stores accept only three items per family per day.
Donate It. You may be able to donate them to a local charity shop, but this is getting quite rare now. Please check with the shop before donating as most shops no longer accept videotapes and cassettes. If they don't sell cassettes (or don't realise that they are now collectable) they will simply put them in the bin.
Goodwill. If you have a Goodwill nearby, you can drop off your VHS tapes for donation. Goodwill accepts many media items, including DVDs, VHS tapes, CDs, and Blu-Ray discs. You can search for a donation drop-off center near you here.
VHS tapes degrade over time, so if the home videos are important or contain special memories, then converting the video will be the best way to keep the memories forever. There are a few ways to convert a VHS tape to a digital file, including doing it yourself or paying a company to do it, according to Komando.com.
10 Rarest VHS Tapes And How Much They're Worth8 A History Of Violence - $120. ... 7 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - $300. ... 6 Walt Disney Home Video 1981 Releases - Varies From $50 - $300. ... 5 The Evil Dead - $300. ... 4 WCW Bash At The Beach 2000 - $500. ... 3 Halloween - $500. ... 2 Tales From The QuaDead Zone - $700. ... 1 Star Wars - $3,500 Sealed.More items...•
These are the VHS tapes that are actually worth something.65 Most Valuable VHS Tapes of All Time. ... Pinocchio (Tie) ... The Great Mouse Detective (Tie) ... The Sound of Music. ... The Rescuers (Tie) ... E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Tie) ... The Wild Life. ... Killer Klowns From Outer Space.More items...•
After the introduction of the DVD format in 1996, however, the market share for VHS began to decline. In 2003, DVD rentals surpassed those of VHS in the United States, and by 2008, DVD had replaced VHS as the preferred low-end method of distribution.
This week we introduced changes in our in-store recycling program that allow us to continue to provide this service for our customers. We are now charging customers $25 for each TV and computer monitor they recycle at our stores.
Blank, unused cassette tapes might be worth just $2-$4 for the piece, but rare and branded ones might be worth much more. As it appears – die-hard collectors are now willing to pay top dollar to complete their collections of unusual cassette tapes.
These are the VHS tapes that are actually worth something.65 Most Valuable VHS Tapes of All Time. ... Pinocchio (Tie) ... The Great Mouse Detective (Tie) ... The Sound of Music. ... The Rescuers (Tie) ... E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Tie) ... The Wild Life. ... Killer Klowns From Outer Space.More items...•
$75,000A sealed VHS copy of Back to the Future sold for $75,000 Wednesday, setting a new record for a videotape price tag. The tape, which previously belonged to actor Tom Wilson, who played bully Biff Tannen in the films, was part of a catalog of VHS tapes sold at a Heritage Auctions event.
10 Rarest VHS Tapes And How Much They're Worth8 A History Of Violence - $120. ... 7 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - $300. ... 6 Walt Disney Home Video 1981 Releases - Varies From $50 - $300. ... 5 The Evil Dead - $300. ... 4 WCW Bash At The Beach 2000 - $500. ... 3 Halloween - $500. ... 2 Tales From The QuaDead Zone - $700. ... 1 Star Wars - $3,500 Sealed.More items...•
Blank, unused cassette tapes might be worth just $2-$4 for the piece, but rare and branded ones might be worth much more. As it appears – die-hard collectors are now willing to pay top dollar to complete their collections of unusual cassette tapes.
Another option for all those old VHS tapes is upcycling or reusing them for anything from art projects to purses. A quick Pinterest search will reveal hundreds of ideas and images. Some crafty, artistic folks even turn the tape from old VHS tapes and cassettes into a type of yarn and can create many unique projects like purses and lamps.
One other common way to make use of them is tying them to branches of your fruit trees or around your garden catching the light . It’s a free and easy way to deter birds from your garden. For more ideas on creative ways to use your old CDs and DVDs check out Pinterest or Etsy.
Curbside recycling programs do not accept DVDs and CDs because they get caught in the sorting machines, but both the discs themselves and the plastic cases are recyclable. While it is possible to recycle all of those unwanted DVDs and CDs piled up in your garage or closet, the neighborhood recycling bin is not the place.
Any way you can keep these items out of our landfills is a good idea. It may take a little bit more effort than more common recyclables like paper or aluminum, but it is worth the effort. These items will not decompose in our landfills and can be used and find new life in new plastic products if they are recycled. Remember to check with your local recycling centers first, but if they do not offer these services, don’t be discouraged, a quick search on the internet will lead you to many options to responsibly rid yourself of that clutter.
Surprisingly there is still a market for some classic VHS movies and shows. You can take a quick look on eBay and see if any of your old VHS tapes are worth anything. Nostalgia sells in many instances. Some can go for $50 all the way up into the $1000’s! Definitely check the old Disney VHS tapes from your childhood before purging, certain titles and release dates are worth hundreds while others are worthless.
Not too long ago DVDs were the best way to watch the newest releases, now DVDs, CDs, cassette tapes along with VHS tapes are prime examples of dead technology. Nowadays, most of us utilize streaming or digital storage, eliminating the need for physical storage of the media, which is more convenient and better for the environment.
Another company that purchases used media is Vintage Stock, also known as Movie Trading Company, but it appears they do not have an option to sell online. Check their site to see if there is a location in your area.
According to Earth911, VHS tapes are difficult to recycle not because of the outside casing, but the magnetic media inside. The casing on VHS tapes is mostly made of No. 5 plastic or polypropylene, which can be recycled. The inside, on the other hand, is mylar tape, made of No. 1 plastic, which is coated in an assortment of metals that are not so easy to recycle. It’s not that this mylar isn’t inherently reusable, it’s just that no one really wants it.
According to GreenCitizen, the condition of the tape, both the external and internal components, will impact price. Other factors include the content and rarity of the tape in question. There are markets and collectors out there, you just have to find the right one.
Earth911 has a wonderful recycling locator that can help you find e-waste recycling companies in your area. Some mainstream stores like Best Buy will accept old electronics for recycling, such as VCRs, though you'll have to contact your local store to see if it will take VHS tapes as well.
Believe it or not, some people still have functioning VCRs that will allow them to play VHS tapes. Article continues below advertisement. VHS tapes and VCRs are both generally considered e-waste, and there are many e-waste recycling companies out there that will take them off your hands.
If figuring out how to dispose of VHS tapes is too challenging on your own, you can send your tapes to be recycled to companies such as “Green Disk.” They accept many types of e-waste, from iPods, to CD cases to many other items. Additionally, consider selling your tapes on Craigslist. That way you can rest easy knowing someone else will enjoy your CDs, and make some money on the side. Think about donating them to Goodwill. Goodwill is a country-wide chain thrift store that teaches disadvantaged community members job skills by accepting donations, selling them, and paying the members with the proceeds. Or, you could offer your tapes for free on Freecycle. Freecycle is a community group that anyone can join where people exchange offers and requests for used household objects and clothes. Simply Google Freecycle and join your local group. Post a message online saying that you have VHS tapes available, and usually within an hour, someone (or a few people!) will likely message you inquiring about taking them off of your hands.
To get to the black tape, you must pry open the plastic case with a screw driver and remove the tape yourself.
One thing you can do with this black tape is to use it in your garden as a “scare crow.”.
Our stores take gently used items in good condition. Donations should be clean, safe and resaleable. Your donations to Goodwill are tax deductible. You can find all donation sites here. We are unable to do home pick-ups. To find a list of items we cannot accept, please scroll to the next section.
Goodwill employees may decline a donation if it is not in clean or in saleable condition or if they are unable to assist with larger items due to risk of injury. Our employees often help unload donations, however cannot help if (in their judgement) doing so may damage any vehicle, or if doing so is unsafe for them or anyone else.
All your donations to Goodwill NNE are tax deductible. If you didn’t get a receipt for your last donation, you can get one here.
The IRS allows you to deduct fair market value for gently-used items. If you’re not sure what your donation might be worth, there’s a helpful guide here.
Looking to support Goodwill’s mission with a gift? You can do that here.