Barney and Friends (up to $120)
Barney & Friends is a children’s television series that premiered on PBS in March 1992, which features the title character Barney, an anthropomorphic pink T-Rex who conveys educational messages through small dance and song routines with its optimistic, friendly, and huggable attitude. The series ended in November 2010. However, there were some straight-to-video tapes produced even before it started airing on television, and lucky for those who have these tapes. They can earn some bucks for it. A sealed copy of the Barney: Waiting for Santa tapes is now worth $120. Not much, but helpful as a mortgage payment.
Sheryl Leach created Barney based on an idea for a children’s program for her son, who had outgrown singing songbooks. Eventually, she and her team released a series of home videos in 1988, Barney and the Backyard Gang. Later on, this was then seen by PBS executive Larry Rifkin, who convinced his colleagues as well as Leach to revamp the concept for television, which debuted in 1992, Barney & Friends.
The Fox and the Hound (up to $25,000)
The Fox and the Hound is Disney’s 24th animated feature film and the most expensive animated film produced at the time. It was loosely based on the titular novel by Daniel P. Mannix in 1967, which tells the story of the unlikely friendship between a hound dog and a red fox named Copper. These two friends struggled to keep their bond despite their natural instincts and the social pressures that demand they be adversaries.
The animated film was released to theaters in July 1981, which proved to be a financial success to a significant degree, earning $39.9 million in the United States. Following its release, it received mixed critical reviews, and it became known as an underrated classic. But that didn’t stop collectors from getting their hands on the Black Diamond Edition VHS, which can now be worth quite a bit today. People are selling this tape for as high as $25,000.
Aladdin ($1 Million upwards)
It has been three decades since Disney’s 31st animated feature film, Aladdin, premiered in theaters. In 1992, it had received critical acclaim and commercial success following its release. It also became the highest-grossing animated film of 1992 with more than $504 million in worldwide box office sales. Aladdin became the first animated feature movie to reach the half-billion mark. The film earned two Academy Awards as well as various accolades for its soundtrack.
The film’s home video VHS release also set sales records, grossing about $500 million in the US, and leading to various derived works as well as other materials by the film, such as The Return of Jafar, Aladdin and the King of Thieves, a titular television series, a Broadway adaptation, and a live-action film. The latter was released in 2019. And for people who have kept a Black Diamond Edition tape, they can cash in by selling it on eBay. Some have reportedly reached over $1million. This amount can surely solve home loans payables.
Thomas and Friends (up to $200)
The British children’s television series Thomas & Friends follows the adventures of an anthropomorphic tank engine named Thomas on the fictional North Western Railway on the island of Sodor, along with his other engine and vehicle friends. It had its first television broadcast (with the spin-off series Shining Time Station) aired on PBS in 1989. Thomas & Friends also had a short-lived sister series, Tugs, that same year. In 2021, the series premiered its 2D-animated reboot, Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.
Narrating was originally used as the only voice in the series until 2008, and Britt Allcroft, one of the creators, had thought that it would be essential to convey the episode as a story that would be read from a book at home. The show released around 100 episodes on tape, which are now collectible items. These vintage tapes can now be purchased for $200 apiece – not too pricey for credit card users.
101 Dalmatians (up to $7,000)
Disney’s 101 Dalmatians is another fan favorite, where the infamous Cruella Deville was no match against the cute and adorable Dalmatian puppies as she attempted to use their fur for coats. Countless people watched the film, and it inspired several live-action remakes and sequels. And for those nostalgic fans who want to buy an original tape in mint condition, they should prepare their money loans as it will cost them up to $7,000. One of the movie’s sequels, Dalmatian Vacation, is priced at $300 on VHS.
The film was originally released in 1961 and was a box-office hit, pulling the studio out of the financial slump caused by Sleeping Beauty, a costlier production that was released two years prior. In 2003, a direct-to-video animated sequel to the 1961 film was released, titled 101 Dalmatians II: Patch’s London Adventure. A live-action reboot was released in theaters in 2021, titled Cruella, as well as on Disney+ with Premier Access simultaneously.
Cinderella (up to $12,000)
Cinderella is Walt Disney Productions’ 12th animated feature film, and it tells the story of the titular character, who is left in the care of her cruel stepmother and jealous stepsisters after her father’s untimely death, forcing her to work as a scullery maid in her own home. The film’s adaptation was based on Charles Perrault’s 1967 French version of the story Cendrillon.
It’s one of Disney’s most iconic princess films, with a girl getting wishes from a fairy godmother, arriving at the ball in a pumpkin carriage, and having Prince Charming find her glass shoe. Disney fans of all ages could watch this magical film on VHS, especially with the Black Diamond edition. A person who owns the Black Diamond and Masterpiece editions can cash in on a $12,000 bonus. Not bad of an amount for investment money.
Beauty and the Beast ($13,000 upwards)
Among Disney’s classics, Beauty and the Beast have some of the most catchy songs, including the eponymous soundtrack, Gaston, and Be Our Guest. Collectors who own a Black Diamond Edition VHS of the film can benefit from market pricing, which can reach upwards of $13,000. This sum can be used to pay off their student loans or other expenses.
The plot revolves around the relationship between the Beast, a prince who is magically transformed into a monster, and Belle, a young woman he imprisons in his castle. Before the last petal of the enchanted rose falls, the Beast must learn to love Belle and earn her love in order to break the curse. Beauty and the Beast premiered as an unfinished film at the New York Film Festival in 1991, grossing $331 million worldwide on a mere $25 million production budget.
E.T. (up to $2,000)
Disney VHS tapes are among the most sought-after and expensive, and one of Steven Spielberg’s most memorable films was E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which also happened to be Drew Barrymore’s first major role in a film. The film was included on famed critic Roger Ebert’s list of “Great Movies.” If you happen to have a black and green tape of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, you can expect to make around $2,000, which is a significant increase in price from the original price of $50 in the 1980s.
The film premiered as the closing film of the Cannes Film Festival in 1982, and it was an instant blockbuster, surpassing, to some degree, Star Wars, to become the highest-grossing film of all time, a record it held for 11 years until Jurassic Park surpassed it in 1993. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest films of all time.
Star Wars (up to $145)
Star Wars is one of the most popular film franchises of all time, and it quickly became a global pop-culture phenomenon. Due to the film’s turbulent production, it was initially directed by George Lucas and released in a limited number of theaters in the United States in 1977. Star Wars received widespread critical acclaim, owing primarily to its groundbreaking visual effects. It grossed $775 million in total sales, making it the highest-grossing film at the time. In 1982, it was surpassed by E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. It was a very excellent investment strategy for the production team.
Since its release, a few have been converted into VHS tapes. However, for the VHS Trilogy, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi were bundled together. The 1997 Gold Edition is currently available for around $145. But I doubt die-hard fans will give up these anytime soon.
Dalmatian-Funded Vacation
There’s always the joke about getting a dog to act as a home security system, but then you can’t go out because no one will watch the dog. In this case, however, this Dalmatian can actually fund a mini-vacation. The original 101 Dalmatians animated film was released by Disney in 1961. Everyone enjoyed it, and because the producers realized this, they reimagined it as a series. It was adapted into 101 Dalmatian: The Series.
Dalmatian Vacation is the series’ conclusion. VHS copies of the series were extremely valuable. A Black Diamond edition can fetch up to $300, which is enough to fund a short vacation! If you have the other versions, it would be around $20, which isn’t too bad. The trick is to keep everything in pristine condition. This may not be possible with VHS copies, but it could be attempted.