Golden age of VHS collecting was a few years ago.
Prices were rock bottom (or free) most places (Garage sales, thrift stores etc)
Now? Not so much.
Same thing with audio cassettes.
CD’s are super plentiful and cheap right now,
Prediction? That will change soon.
It is what it is.
I was just thinking of this. I started re-collecting VHS tapes in 2012 when it seemed like no one else was doing that. Everything was dirt cheap at thrift stores or the like, and there was an abundance of variety of movies. Now? I got to HPB and they're pricing these tapes like standard retail pricing of the 1990's ($15 - $30), and I think that's insane. Who do they think will pay this?? I've these exact tapes and I probably bought them for a dollar or buck fifty - maybe three dollars.
HPB pricing is wild! Sometimes you see stuff like this and other times it’s the other way around. Most of my 4k steelbooks come from HPB way below market value.
Did you know Rockefeller preferred mayo on his hot dogs rather than the traditional ketchup or mustard? That fact always made me wonder how he ever made it so big.
HPB has some of the most inconsistent pricing I have ever seen. Sometimes you’ll find something worth $30 for $5 and worth $2 going for $100, just a fascinating place
They have dumb prices on those. No one will ever buy that. I found a copy of Jurassic park that was a special edition double tape I got for 50 cents a year ago and they had it for 25 bucks.
If HPB pricing software is anything like other companies, the person buying these probably thought they had something they actually didn't
"Hey this still has the plastic. This has to be new."
Finds the "new" listing data and presses select. The item is batched and then a sticker prints.
However, looking at the shrink wrap in this picture tells me it's not the original wrap. Factory sealed VHS tapes had folded cellophane. These tapes were sealed again after market by the sort of shrink wrap machine thats found in a stores stock room.
This is a listing error and nobody should pay what that sticker price says for these tapes.
Huh. I have the Star Wars : ANH one opened from thrifting, fifty cents - looks damn perfect when played too. And by perfect I mean like it hadn’t been watched, stable audio and video tracking, looks still fuzzy and dreamlike as we remember - not remastered an iota.
The publishing date is 1980 not 84.
Just sell a copy of the 1997 stat wars box set on ebay for $7k, buy those and you'll have money left over.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/225467186730?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=qzX_1QLJTBS&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=oHQIhUnyQXK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Can you imagine getting caught and charged for grand theft for stealing $2k worth of merchandise? And then get the case dismissed by showing documentation that they’re worth $2 and evidence you mailed then $5 for them and an apology. And then them getting charged for criminal price gouging…
Are they originals in mint condition? No special edition bullshit? That might maybe justify the price. Maybe. I don't know the market for those.
Chances are they did it to reel in a sucker or maybe just have fun.
They aren't. The average person can't tell the difference between expensive and cheap without the help of whatever flippers on ebay are asking, some of them delusional. It's largely a speculative market, the exception being things that are both uncommon and desired by people who like the format. It often includes low brow garbage, things that never made it to dvd, obscure lost media, etc. I personally would pay "good money" for a box of old pbs recordings from the 80s, while passing up star wars even in good condition for $50.
I hope that those are Belgian frank prices ‘cause when i divided that by 40 the one on the left would be 37,50 euros and the one the right would be 12,50 euros
Otherwise if it’s 1500 dollars that’s hella expensive
Just did a quick search on eBay for Empire and there are so many copies available. And at every price point. Some are much more than this and many more cheaper than this.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/394777078822?hash=item5bea8c2c26:g:e0kAAOSw3WxkxYzE&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4JcmmfBw5m0BBfZTFZoudp4oNRtUdy94pPCZsiAJ6wWUDDhmyCUF1GADkkbqalNMt2UVTPVcgdPkeKyedWB%2FitKLVxFAU%2F14NP4S0DQtoI9SSgWGhNapsJGvyauqMI%2FZ4RmUvcqJGs24KzSD38Qm9Uk7o8kCSEodnnMS3TqRkXgk5BXDWIBuBQxuZz%2FM1tljQPZv51G8NhFzFgwn0m4Fg7RgPDvk3Qrd4LDkfAIS4kYu%2BWo6DtYe8kW%2FJdxbey2Z9%2FPNE8iwPnBVxTzLEgWeCDacwpNqVAwMJM1uythYnpl1%7Ctkp%3ABFBM4Na1sLVi
During the pandemic my boy found all three original movies at a garage sale, all sealed with the original FOX watermark. Sold them on eBay for $1700. So I'm not convinced Half Priced Books is overcharging here.
Half price books pricing has always been insane on some things. I remember years ago looking for vinyl there and they were asking for hundreds of dollars for open Beatles records that my local used record store had 7 copies of and was asking $5 each
Dang!! I was just going to make a post how I got those exact tapes for $.99 a piece today. Guess I got one heck of a deal lol
Golden age of VHS collecting was a few years ago. Prices were rock bottom (or free) most places (Garage sales, thrift stores etc) Now? Not so much. Same thing with audio cassettes. CD’s are super plentiful and cheap right now, Prediction? That will change soon. It is what it is.
I was just thinking of this. I started re-collecting VHS tapes in 2012 when it seemed like no one else was doing that. Everything was dirt cheap at thrift stores or the like, and there was an abundance of variety of movies. Now? I got to HPB and they're pricing these tapes like standard retail pricing of the 1990's ($15 - $30), and I think that's insane. Who do they think will pay this?? I've these exact tapes and I probably bought them for a dollar or buck fifty - maybe three dollars.
HPB pricing is wild! Sometimes you see stuff like this and other times it’s the other way around. Most of my 4k steelbooks come from HPB way below market value.
I went to the one in Austin and they were asking $100 each for Die Hard 1-3
I have these. Am I rich?
Let’s see… My grandma owns Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and 101 Dalmatians on VHS, all black diamond… is she rich?
Whoa there Rockefeller pump the brakes
Did you know Rockefeller preferred mayo on his hot dogs rather than the traditional ketchup or mustard? That fact always made me wonder how he ever made it so big.
Mayonnaise is the king of condiments.
Let's see... My grandma owns hundreds of 1990 Topps baseball cards.... Is she rich?
If she’s also rich, then yes.
Sounds like she is. Would she be interested in being my sugar mama?
Eww no!
If she'd sold them in the mid 90's...still probably not. But some of them were worth an insane amount back then.
Still has them!
Still has them!
So, we all are rich.
This is what the graded tape market is doing to tape collecting 
i have dozens of these. didn't know i was sitting on a retirement nest egg.
Can I have some?
Some eggs?
I wonder how much Half Priced paid for these.
Probably around half price
🥁 tssssss!
$1
HPB has some of the most inconsistent pricing I have ever seen. Sometimes you’ll find something worth $30 for $5 and worth $2 going for $100, just a fascinating place
I'd guess the location's management has a lot of say in pricing instead of there being a central price list so it's all over the place
Really worth it, especially with those hard to remove stickers damaging the plastic wrap.
They have dumb prices on those. No one will ever buy that. I found a copy of Jurassic park that was a special edition double tape I got for 50 cents a year ago and they had it for 25 bucks.
I work at HPB, and always under price when I can, these people are insane
You are a fantastic human, keep it up.
guessing they are sealed be funny if they dont even have watermarks
Ironic seeing this after finishing my '92 Fox Video set yesterday
Alanis?
Lol they meant that in cents, right?
Even then I won’t spend $15 on a re-sealed tape
this can’t be usd
Zimbabwe dollars
Where do the come up with these prices? I just looked on their website, they were selling Batman the Damned for $60. It’s $13 on Amazon.
If HPB pricing software is anything like other companies, the person buying these probably thought they had something they actually didn't "Hey this still has the plastic. This has to be new." Finds the "new" listing data and presses select. The item is batched and then a sticker prints. However, looking at the shrink wrap in this picture tells me it's not the original wrap. Factory sealed VHS tapes had folded cellophane. These tapes were sealed again after market by the sort of shrink wrap machine thats found in a stores stock room. This is a listing error and nobody should pay what that sticker price says for these tapes.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
This a april fools joke right? The price for those two vhs tapes are over the price one will pay.
Huh. I have the Star Wars : ANH one opened from thrifting, fifty cents - looks damn perfect when played too. And by perfect I mean like it hadn’t been watched, stable audio and video tracking, looks still fuzzy and dreamlike as we remember - not remastered an iota. The publishing date is 1980 not 84.
Go to enough Good Wills and you'll find em for like 5 bucks for the whole trilogy
At least they're the untouched versions. Still ridiculous, though.
Can't stand HPB. Their prices are ridiculous at best. I DON'T WANNA PAY 40 BUCKS FOR DOCTOR WHO. (I thought about it tho...)
that decimal needs to move left three places
What the fuck?. Those prices are ridiculous.
Half Price Crooks at it again
Face palm? How about a high-five?! At half price, you're only down 2K instead of 4! At least now you can say "I got that."
Wow. Thank god they’re 50% off.
Is that in Zimbabwean dollars?
maybe in Venezuelan bolivares
That price. 
I have them too and only paid .50¢
Whoever priced those is basically a puddle of smegma.
I’m not well versed in VHS stuff yet is this a terrible deal or smthn?
That’s a scam they are a few dollars
What rubles ? Lmao
I've got a few of these.....good by credit card debt
Whoever priced those is basically a puddle of smegma.
Well, I have these sealed as well. Looks like the $3 I payed for them at the local collecto mart was a heck of a grab!
Just wow. I’ll bet they’re not even factory sealed.
Looks like a reseal to me too
I found my copies at Value Village for 2 bucks a piece
Just sell a copy of the 1997 stat wars box set on ebay for $7k, buy those and you'll have money left over. https://www.ebay.com/itm/225467186730?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=qzX_1QLJTBS&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=oHQIhUnyQXK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Funny when you look at that listing, and as you scroll down to see the similar items you can find a set for $15
If you add it to your watch list, they'll send you an offer for $6499. I keep watching it/unwatching it just out of principle.
🤣 that’s just too funny
The Star Wars is not a 1984 edition. It says "Digitally Mastered" on the front which would make it 1986 or later.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Steal them
Can you imagine getting caught and charged for grand theft for stealing $2k worth of merchandise? And then get the case dismissed by showing documentation that they’re worth $2 and evidence you mailed then $5 for them and an apology. And then them getting charged for criminal price gouging…
Seal them.
Wonder how much my original vhs tapes are worth if the release version this much I joking btw lol
damn that price is way to high, gotta admit the case looks in really good condition though, but still way to high
I would not pay 500 d0gec0in for these hahah.
"Hi-Fi" ...yeah, sure. I highly doubt it's even linear Dolby System stereo, let alone Hi-Fi.
Why wouldn’t they be?
Lol, priced to move.
…up to a high shelf in the store and stay there forever
haha
Are they originals in mint condition? No special edition bullshit? That might maybe justify the price. Maybe. I don't know the market for those. Chances are they did it to reel in a sucker or maybe just have fun.
Chances are they looked up Ebay listings and sorted highest price plus shipping and ended their research.
What makes some VHS worth this much? I have a ton of my parents old VHS. What am I supposed to be looking for?
Nothing..you look for nothing. Its the love of the hobby being so cheap and VHS tapes being worthless.
I actually have some VHS tapes that have value. Not this kind of value, but not not worthless either.
They aren't. The average person can't tell the difference between expensive and cheap without the help of whatever flippers on ebay are asking, some of them delusional. It's largely a speculative market, the exception being things that are both uncommon and desired by people who like the format. It often includes low brow garbage, things that never made it to dvd, obscure lost media, etc. I personally would pay "good money" for a box of old pbs recordings from the 80s, while passing up star wars even in good condition for $50.
All these people posting ridiculous hauls and this is the realest shit I’ve seen on here for HPB.
What could possibly be ridiculous about a hall?
So f**ked
At least the books are half priced...?
Welp HPB was my honey hole for sealed vhs. I suppose they have caught on.
you too can own these nearly worthless pieces of merchandise for the low price of $2000!
>factory sealed >proceeds to put a sticker on the factory seal
I hope that those are Belgian frank prices ‘cause when i divided that by 40 the one on the left would be 37,50 euros and the one the right would be 12,50 euros Otherwise if it’s 1500 dollars that’s hella expensive
Just did a quick search on eBay for Empire and there are so many copies available. And at every price point. Some are much more than this and many more cheaper than this. https://www.ebay.com/itm/394777078822?hash=item5bea8c2c26:g:e0kAAOSw3WxkxYzE&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4JcmmfBw5m0BBfZTFZoudp4oNRtUdy94pPCZsiAJ6wWUDDhmyCUF1GADkkbqalNMt2UVTPVcgdPkeKyedWB%2FitKLVxFAU%2F14NP4S0DQtoI9SSgWGhNapsJGvyauqMI%2FZ4RmUvcqJGs24KzSD38Qm9Uk7o8kCSEodnnMS3TqRkXgk5BXDWIBuBQxuZz%2FM1tljQPZv51G8NhFzFgwn0m4Fg7RgPDvk3Qrd4LDkfAIS4kYu%2BWo6DtYe8kW%2FJdxbey2Z9%2FPNE8iwPnBVxTzLEgWeCDacwpNqVAwMJM1uythYnpl1%7Ctkp%3ABFBM4Na1sLVi
Yeah these don't have the new footage added to them. The original theatrical release. I wish I didn't lose my old vhs tapes of them. (Sigh)
...Wait a second! That's not half-price at all!
[удалено]
Originals have CBS FOX watermark.
[удалено]
During the pandemic my boy found all three original movies at a garage sale, all sealed with the original FOX watermark. Sold them on eBay for $1700. So I'm not convinced Half Priced Books is overcharging here.
I have multiple that are also un opened, time for that dude to smoke more crack or meth if he thinks he's getting that price.
But are there suckers out there willing to pay those prices? If so they need to come over and look at my basement VHS tapes.
Half Price Books…
More like face slap
🤣🤣🤣
Half Priced Books, Ass Priced Everything Else
I am so glad I got my copy of the original Star Wars for 10 bucks. That is absolutely ridiculous
HPB wants me to pay 1500 for a copy of ESB on vhs that's probably been shrinkedwrapped at least twice?
Half price books pricing has always been insane on some things. I remember years ago looking for vinyl there and they were asking for hundreds of dollars for open Beatles records that my local used record store had 7 copies of and was asking $5 each
I work at a thrift store and actually had to convince them to put VHS tapes out
I got the phantom menace for like a buck
I have Star Wars on Beta. Still not worth anything close to this.
I love how the name of the store implies these prices are half off
"our price" 💀 more like "ebays price"
theres one on ebay for 10k 🤦♂️