r/VHS • u/MissEllaPaige • 2d ago
Discussion What's the rarest VHS that you own?
Edit: Just a little fyi, my Christmas Vacation copy is a UK PAL VHS, not the US version! ☺
Just like the title says, what's the rarest VHS that you own?
I've got quite a couple of rare-ish VHS tapes in my collection that I wouldn't expect to find in the wild and only have a few pricy copies being sold online, but my current rarest VHS that I own is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation! (And the contenders are my Family Guy Season 1 & 3 tapes and Sex And The City Season 6 boxset)
For some reason, the UK PAL version is extremely rare to find which does sadden me as it's an absolute golden Christmas classic but my Vinted luck came through again and I found it for only £3!
I was so happy about this as this movie is a staple in my house at Christmas time and the opening theme is genuinely one of my favourite Christmas songs ever 😂
That's mine so now it's over to you, I know a lot of people on this subreddit are non UK collectors so I'm intruiged to hear what's rare to find on VHS in your country 🤔
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u/SuchChemist4159 2d ago
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u/MissEllaPaige 2d ago
Wow that's amazing! I bet you're so proud to own that, a real piece of VHS history 🤩
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u/BodyBagSlam 1d ago
Why is Cars so rare on vhs?
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u/Sithlordandsavior 1d ago edited 1d ago
Released at the end of the VHS era and the *peak of DVD, also a Disney something club exclusive, so limited supply plus end of a format means VERY few in circulation.
Edit: I've been informed DVD had some footing before this
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u/TheLonelyTesseract 1d ago
Nah, dawn of DVD was like ‘98. By the time Cars came out DVD had become the ubiquitous standard.
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u/Sithlordandsavior 1d ago
All right, I'll say peak of DVD then because that was definitely when DVDs were showing up in grocery stores and gas stations.
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u/retired_punk 1d ago
I’ve got tapes about the Heaven’s gate cult that I ordered directly from the surviving cult members ordered via email and a 3$ money order sent to them. Those and Songs of the South probably.
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u/bigchuckdeezy 1d ago
I bought this blank tape with just “hatchet” written on it. It’s just a bunch of like 16 year olds trying to make a movie. I have to be the only one that owns that.
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u/SanDimas1988 1d ago
Put this on YouTube and give us a link.
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u/TheLonelyTesseract 1d ago
Nah, take that one of a kind relic to Christie's. It's payday
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u/melkatron 1d ago
That's funny... the high school Chris Pine attended used VHS for their film classes (consumer cameras, but full editing decks and PVMs), and there are probably a ton of student films floating around, directed by or starring either well known actors or children of well known actors (Chris Pine being the intersection of that venn diagram).
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u/LesZappa 2d ago
Signed copy of Deadly Amazon's I found for a buck. Not a super rare tape, but I my collection is small, so small.
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u/melkatron 1d ago
Anything signed is pretty rare, especially given the difficulty of getting anything like that signed today.
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u/MightyPrinceVegita 2d ago
I’m rich, lol. eBay is so funny.
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u/MissEllaPaige 2d ago
It's madness how much people list VHS tapes for on eBay, there's a Wallace & Gromit one on there for over 2k! I don't mind spending double digits on a tape if I feel it's worth it but I wouldn't ever spend thousands on one even if I won the lottery 😅
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u/Undrwtrbsktwvr 1d ago
The wallace and gromit one is pretty rare.
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u/MissEllaPaige 1d ago
True, it is one of the final VHS releases and I do love Wallace & Gromit but I'm not sure if I love it enough to spend over 2k on it, especially when it's not sealed 🫣
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u/Turtlesfan44digimon 1d ago
Tbf this can be about pretty much anything look at games and Pokemon cards in general and you’ll see a lot can be absurd prices
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u/townstar 2d ago edited 1d ago
I sold most of my tapes when I moved. I used to have a sealed chopping mall, now I only have a couple of movies, namely my dads copy of "the midnight hour" not worth a ton monetarily, more sentimental value.
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u/MissEllaPaige 2d ago
I love this! I'll always believe that sentimental value goes way beyond money value. Don't get me wrong I love my valuable tapes but I always hope that both my parents and my childhood tapes are still hidden away somewhere in the attic because they would mean everything to me if I managed to find them 🥹
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u/Left-Chemist-8212 1d ago
I donated mine while moving years ago. Hung onto a few. Some classic horror and a bootleg of The Rollins Band with some interviews with Henry and live performances. Still sad I got rid of them. Had way too much physical media. Wish I could have that back and just be done with streaming. Would think about collecting again but kinda trying to downsize further. Wanderlust is starting to set in again.
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u/deepinyour_seoul 1d ago
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u/Adrenalinejunkie911 1d ago
🤣🤣🤣 Never seen, but it must be hilarious!!! How many times does he do his FART gag??? He was notorious for ALWAYS using that thing!!! I remember on an early episode of LETTERMAN he kept using it n acti g like nothing was happening yet at the same time he was cracking himself up!!!
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u/Defiant_Equipment181 2d ago
Currently it is Drake and Josh Go Hollywood. I prefer my copy of SLC Punk more though.
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u/MissEllaPaige 2d ago
I'm the same as you, I love Christmas Vacation but I do prefer my second placers (SATC & Family Guy) and rare-ish tapes more 🫣 Still, Drake & Josh was such a great show back in the 2000s and fun to rewatch today 😁
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u/Able_Engineering1350 1d ago
Not technically a movie but this is the proper format for this particular masterpiece
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u/Fhujeth 1d ago
My almost complete collection of the VHS releases of Science Court made by Tom Snyder Productions (Soup2Nuts) I'm missing two...
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u/Melonary 2d ago
I have a bunch of old anime, which is cheating because most of is technically on the rarer side This includes a famous old hentai (almost complete set) that I have because I think the animation is cool and idk, it's just neat even if I'm not into the content (sorry).
One volume of Animated Classics of Japanese Literature (anime), A few Space Ship Yamamoto vhs, Now and Then, Here and There, Windaria, Wings of Honneamise, the Slayers, a bunch more. Techno Police, which is an odd one.
Some old Hong Kong movies like City Hunter, Fist of Legend, a few others.
BC (Canada) metal band Kittie's 1st album Spit (I think it's an official concert recording?)
Bunch of other weird things that are probably rare but not valuable or that interesting.
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u/Hawk7866 2d ago
I’ve got a copy of the Slayers movie on VHS that is signed by Lina’s US voice actor
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u/MarioEatsGrapes 1d ago
Didn’t know Now and Then, Here and There had a VHS release! I got the DVDs when they came out and even those are slightly rare nowadays
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u/Melonary 1d ago
So oddly enough, I have most of the series on DVD and for some reason I was missing one or couldn't find it to purchase? I can't remember anymore if someone borrowed and lost it or if I never was able to find that one volume. But I found the VHS for the episodes that correspond to the missing DVD for sale, and wound up with the whole series.
I always meant to purchase the missing DVD but of course they're probably still not very easy to find. Life has been kind of crazy last few years but I'd still love to grab the missing one at some point when I'm able to, but either way at least I can watch the whole thing.
Also nice to see someone else who still thinks of that show - I hate to say fan of because it's not really the kind of tv that leads to fandom, y'know, but it's so damn good.
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u/Melonary 1d ago
also if you're into older anime, one of my absolute treasures is and was my copy of Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer. Great movie, I forgot to mention it in the list, but I've watched that tape too many times!
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u/mittenkrusty 1d ago
I had quite a few Hong Kong and martial art movies as a kid, think I had both The Legend films (the cut down dub)
I know I had a few anime films
Sadly my dad decided to redecorate my childhood bedroom 15 years ago and threw everything out.
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u/CountryFriedBeast 1d ago
Pieces is probably my rarest... found at Goodwill bins. The stickers are not on the slipcover, they're on plastic wrap.
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u/Silver-Amphibian7650 2d ago
I have a promo only version of Blues Brothers 2000. I also have a copy of Fantastic Planet.
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u/Remote-Moon 2d ago
It's probably not that rare, but I have a VHS copy of The Monster Squad that is the pride of my collection.
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u/01000101_01111010 1d ago
You have a copy of the greatest movie ever made! I bought mine 15 years ago off of Ebay for $10, now it's minimum $60 with a few much higher.
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u/paulthefonz 2d ago
Sharkboy and lavagirl
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u/MissEllaPaige 2d ago
That's such an awesome one to own as I'm sure it was one of the final VHS releases, love it! 😄
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u/rabbihimself 2d ago
I really don’t know. I’m sure it’s one of the horror flicks. Most of my collection is just the truly oddball stuff, like vacation planning videos, tai chi for seniors, instructional tapes regarding your new Lionel train set, things like that. I do have the complete gift set of The Schnozzes, a mediocre animated story about pet shop animals who all have massive noses, along with the comic and figurines. That’s pretty rare I guess.
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u/Melonary 1d ago
I love that weirdass shit too. I got a tape a few weeks ago that's an instructional video for a very specific, super outdated painting craft and hey why not?
Assuming OP actually means rare and not valuable yes, I have tonnes of rare stuff and it's worthless and I like it.
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u/melkatron 2d ago
Both came from the same box at a local video rental shop. They sell VHS for cheap, and they got a few unusual boxes as a donation a couple years ago.
-Addams Family Values, but it's an in-flight movie, as indicated by its label... I also got Madhouse (a childhood favorite) but it was taped over (HBO's Real Sex episode 1).
-Nightmare Sisters, just recorded onto a blank tape with a handwritten label. As far as I know, not a common movie in any form.
I have A History of Violence, Shaun of the Dead, Land of the Dead, Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and other late releases, but these don't seem rare, just expensive. (though I paid pennies)
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u/Earthisablackhole 2d ago
Not sure about "rarity" but mine are probably Donnie Darko and Batman Begins.
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u/MissEllaPaige 2d ago
Doesn't have to be rare if it's something you enjoy or is special to you 😊 I really cherish my childhood shows/films that I've got on VHS and they're worth pennies (Willy Wonka, Matilda, The Witches, Pingu & Babe) but the nostalgia is priceless to me.
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u/dumbgay999 1d ago
a 17 minute long walt disney world management training video from 1994 to teach managers how to give criticism for their cast members. i live in florida and found it unlabelled in an antique store and bought it on a whim. funny stuff
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u/Left-Chemist-8212 1d ago
Training video on how to criticize workers at Disney? From the 90’s!? That sounds like pure gold.
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u/Outside_Ad_424 1d ago
Not me but my dad. He has a daily workprint VHS of the first 5 episodes of South Park. A friend of his worked on the show and smuggled out the tape to my dad. It still has the edit deck time code on the bottom of the screen.
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u/Substantial-Tax541 1d ago
My original copy of They Live I bought from the local rental shop when it shuts down
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u/SourKilko Trusted Trader 2d ago
I have the full run of the original Speed Racer on tape from a limited run printed by a fansite in the 2000s. Found them on eBay and haven't seen the full set again since online and they're really poorly documented, only way I found any information on them was on internet archive
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u/BlackLodgeBrother 1d ago
The current blu-rays (and old mass retail DVDs) apparently have slightly sped-up audio. So those tapes and DVDs are probably the only legit physical release of the show with correct soundtrack speed.
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u/Investineverything 1d ago
This is my favorite Christmas movie next to Die Hard.
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u/thisissomeshitman 2d ago
i have a white tape (alternate ending) 28 Days Later my wife and i rescued (along with sooo many other tapes) from the side of the road. Still in its pre-owned packaging from blockbuster 🥹i miss them
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u/Plip-Plop-Ploop 1d ago
I have a home recorded episode of Monday night Raw from 2002 and it still has all the commercials. I also have the first CKY. Those are my two I hold above all the rest.
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u/Cletu_Bojangles 2d ago
I was confused that you said Christmas vacation was rare until you mentioned UK. That's unfortunate that they are so hard to find. Such a classic and something special to watch it on VHS.
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u/MissEllaPaige 2d ago
That's okay, I knew it'd look confusing since the US version is pretty common, I wish I'd have put a little caption or something on the photos now to say it's the UK version 🙂 I agree with you, it truly is one of those movies that was made to be watched on VHS and you just don't get the same feeling when you watch it on DVD or streaming. I feel so proud to own it and I know I'll appreciate it more than ever when I watch it at Christmas.
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u/Adamusik 1d ago
Technically it’s The Aurora Color Television Project (2nd Edition). Mystery Science Theater 3000 – Cave Dwellers, Space Sentinels 1970’s cartoons, and all my surf vhs are fairly rare as well.
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u/Melonary 1d ago
I rescued a bunch of MSTK VHS tapes from a cardboard box by the side of the road a few years ago and they live with me now!
Literally why throw them out? They also had a bunch of NFB (Canada) tapes in there too, what a crime. I rescued them.
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u/ShackletonsBones 1d ago
Meet the Feebles. I know it’s not incredibly rare but a stellar 50 cent find out in the wild back in the day.
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u/ToyGameScroogeMcDuck 1d ago
Not really rare but 2 unusual pick ups. Both are screeners and Lock...is sealed still
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u/Myfooty94 1d ago
It's not really a VHS but a Betamax Blue Hawaii starting Elvis Presley released by 20th Century Fox Video (Australia).
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u/Truffle_Shuffle_85 1d ago
I Spit On Your Grave Screening copy. Ive only seen 1 copy, even online.
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u/Psychadeliccarcrash 1d ago
Powdered strangers vhs. There’s only one in current existence, it’s my dad and aunts old band back in the early 90s. They never were popular. The vhs case and tape design is really nice.
It’s got a music video at the beginning and some live show clips. RIP to them both. Legends.
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u/MissEllaPaige 1d ago
This is amazing, you can see just how much time and dedication has gone into even just the design of the VHS. Thank you so much for sharing something so special, this is what it's all about. RIP legends 🙏🏻🫂
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u/ApprehensiveRope7798 22h ago
I found a brand new copy of a local play of little shop of horrors from 2024. $.50 at a Saint Vincent depaul thrift store was so excited when I found it
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u/Pretty_Science4815 2d ago
Sister act 2
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u/MissEllaPaige 2d ago
Each to their own! There's lots of tapes I'm after that are technically worth nothing but would be priceless to me if I found them, especially if it was at a car boot or charity shop as decent VHS tapes in the wild over here in England are so scarce now 🫣
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u/alexmate84 2d ago
UK version also has the swearing edited out of the "hap-happiest Christmas" speech. My theory is most people saw it on TV so didn't buy the VHS. My big fat greek wedding and not another teen movie are quite rare as most people bought the DVD
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u/MissEllaPaige 1d ago
I had no idea that the swearing was edited out of the UK version! That's crazy, I guess it makes sense though in order to keep the PG rating as surely swearing would take it up to a 12. I got both Greek Wedding & Teen Movie in a big bundle so I'm chuffed that something rare came out of it! I always enjoy watching both of those films, they're right up my street ☺
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u/MourningsEndPt2 2d ago
Honestly not sure of the rarities but it's likely between my Pioneer Akira Screener and Nickelodeon Snick volume 2 tape
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u/first_life 2d ago
I actually just picked this one up at a yard sale too and I was so happy to find it. I think my sealed Coca-Cola promo ET is my most rare though
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u/GuitarlyPeace2679 2d ago
Does Not of this Earth and American Hair Pie count? If so, yes
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u/MissEllaPaige 2d ago
Thank you so much to everyone who's commented! I'm really enjoying reading about all of your rare & special tapes. I'm so sorry if I haven't replied to your comment, I can barely keep up 😂
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u/Nightcat666 2d ago
A Korean Subtitle version of a Japanese movie I have never heard of and found at good will. Also have a Japanese release of My Neighbor Totoro and Tokyo Godfathers.
IDK if it counts as rare but I also got the entire collection of Star Trek TOS and next generation on VHS.
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u/Old-Swimming2799 2d ago
Original black and white empire strikes back.
And probably the original black and white king Kong movie
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u/Money-Camera 1d ago
Pre cert American Werewolf in London, I thought the £25 at the time was abit pricey but looking at prices now it was a good buy for sure
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u/nitroraptor2 1d ago
Holes screener. I dont tend to collect the really rare stuff. I just grab whatever catches my eye at the thrift stores.
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u/TeacherFit9011 1d ago
Not the rarest, but the newest VHS I own is The Lion King 1 1/2 with a print date of 12/30/2003!!
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u/gretzky9999 1d ago
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie 1990 VHS
Factory Sealed
Canadian Manufactured
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u/POWERPACKEDTYRE 1d ago edited 1d ago
The Wizard of Speed & Time, 1989 Aus Hoyts pressing. Chance of a Lifetime - a forgotten 1991 low-budget rom-com starring Leslie Nielsen & Betty White. Sealed copy of the 2000 NRL Grand Final between the Brisbane Broncos & Sydney Roosters (the cassette itself is shrink-wrapped). The Tractor Factor - History of Australian agricultural manufacturers from the early 1900s – 1959. Dark Star. Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry.
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u/taytayy11 1d ago
Idk if they’re very rare but I’ve never seen them anywhere, not even online. Nostalgic for me too since I loved this show as a kid! I do also have Cars, which I believe is a rare one lol.
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u/Dollasorus 1d ago edited 1d ago
I don't have a picture but I have barbie mermaidia on VHS that my bf bought me with a lot of miscellaneous VHS tapes mostly kids stuff like blues clues and it's the great pumpkin Charlie Brown at a flea market idk how rare it is but I know it's hard to find and it seems like fairytopia is even harder to find but I hope I'm able to find it for a steal again tho I do have it on dvd from when I was a kid but no case plus I played it so much it's super scratchy
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u/Headfood420 1d ago
I have all the original Disney movies and cases. Questionable cartoon work and artwork and all. (I was a blockbuster kid)
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u/spooky_fella 1d ago
i got my hands on the Halloween 10-31-78 limited double orange tape set for like $5 recently out thrifting along with the Dawn of the Dead directors cut double tape
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u/TheWinkster726 1d ago
Mickey's Christmas Carol. It is the original release with the behind the scenes look at the short. It is the holy grail of the Neon Mickey VHS tapes.
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u/FcknDepressionScks 1d ago
I was supposed to be getting an original rainbow release The Thing today, but the post office has no idea where it is. I paid a lot for it too (it was a gift to myself), it wasn't a thrift find. So I'm about to go postal on the post office. I asked them to HOLD it, now they have no idea where it went.
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u/Lets_Leave 15h ago
I have this, an FYC Minority report & The Lost Boys screener. I really want the Machinist & Weather Man
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u/crapatthethriftstore 1d ago
I have a French language dubbed version of UHF with weird al
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u/lazerpandagod 1d ago
I also have a demo vhs of nausicaa of the valley of the wind
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u/-Old-School-Cool- 1d ago
Song of the south. It’s in a box packed somewhere, hence no picture. I also have a first printing of The Thing which at last count is worth $37000 but for some reason I can’t bring myself to sell one of the only things I have from my childhood.
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u/RyansRetroArchive 2d ago edited 2d ago
Are we sure some of these auction listings aren't just money laundering at this point lol?
I have Christmas Vacation on VHS somewhere too and we also bought it on DVD as well.
I am trying to track it down on the Video8 format now thats rare. I know it exists on a PAL Video8 tape and I really, really want it lol.
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u/ImportantReference33 2d ago
I recently got this sucker too at a VHS shop in Pittsburgh! I'm on the look out for any horror VHS or Goosebumps. I found Scooby Doo on zombie island, witches ghost, creepiest capers and alien invaders which were my recent favorites. I did get Blow, Crossroads, Hocus Pocus and 10 Things I Hate About You about 15 years ago that I'm thinking are rare?
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u/mimitchi33 2d ago
My pre-2003 Inai Inai Baa! tapes. They usually go for $50 on Mercari Japan, but I snagged them for good deals.
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u/Sudden_Edge3436 2d ago
Rare? Probably promo tapes for yugioh and cubix from kids wb. Though they probably mailed thousands
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u/Stankfunkmusic 1d ago
"Voyage Into Space."
Lucky enough to have it on VHS, Laserdisc, DVD & Blu-Ray. Original movie & all 30 minute shows.
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u/crashprime 1d ago
I really love my screener double feature of Cannibal The Musical and Wizards of the Demon Sword. I love Matt and Trey film stuff and Troma so its a wild crossover piece for me. I would however die for that workprint of South Park someone was flexing earlier. The first season of South Park was so important to me when I was younger. I need prerecorded season 1 WOC in my life.
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u/Unusual_Sport 1d ago
Either a sealed copy of “you on kazoo” that’s the origin of that kazoo kid meme, or the Blue Thunder game from the Action Max “game console” maybe Creating Rem Lezar
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u/Lukeadtr 1d ago
I just found a sealed copy of christmas vacation at goodwill! Its my girlfriend's favorite holiday movie so I had to get it for her
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u/LandauTST 1d ago
Not really rare at all but my current pride of my restarted collection is a colorized copy of Night of the Living Dead.
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u/vipeness 1d ago
I had bought a tape that I thought was blank but is a bootleg of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
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u/80sTvGirl 1d ago
I have the sealed VHS of Caddyshack and Christmas vacation in the cardboard sleeves not the clam shells.
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u/Foomankru 1d ago
I’m new to collecting so I’m not sure. Probably nothing too rare but I do have a question. Checking a couple other of your posts, do you put your VHS in clear cases to display? A lot of my tapes’ slipcovers are pretty beat up and I am looking to put them in cases for my home display. If you do this, what is your process? And recommendations on buying clear cases?
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u/new_york_ripp3r 1d ago
Nekromantik 2 or Video Violence, or even my Wizard video Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
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u/TimeTheft1769 1d ago
Not my pic, but I once posted my collection in a horror thread on the B9 Board back in like 2011 and had someone offer me $12 for this copy of Silent Night Blood Night
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u/Adventurous-Eye4420 1d ago
I always feel like this is hard question to answer because I have some rare tapes where finding almost any info on them is next to impossible, but theres a point where something gets so obscure most people don't care. So I guess Riki-Oh?
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u/memerguy2002 1d ago
Probably my Lionsgate Limited release of Scream 4 & Alien Romulus (the former I got from Lionsgate themselves when I could)
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u/XtremePlayer810 1d ago
The rarest VHS from my collection has to be this version of Scream (1996) as an advanced store promo screener. An industry asset that was never sold to the public, and most were sent back to be destroyed and were. The craziest part is that I found this out of an entertainment center on the curb filled with tapes.
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u/ElvissKarateChop 1d ago
I have some Godzilla bootlegs from the early 90’s, but this is a prized VHS. I’ve shown this to several people and no one I know is ever even heard of this movie. It’s definitely a very dark comedy that has some pretty good moments.
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u/PartyLobster8911 20h ago
Is this valuable? I have I have had this tape sitting on my bookshelf with the rest for over 20 years & not watched it in as long.
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u/the_riesen 19h ago
My dad has a TV edit without commercial recordings of running man and the predator on one vhs
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u/MediocreParticular02 17h ago
i have a few fyc screener tapes but i recently found out this screener version is less common
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u/UltimateUncleBub_92 9h ago
A tie between my 1977 Magnetic Video VHS of Fantastic Voyage (the oldest one) and my 2007 Hallmark Hall of Fame VHS of Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness (the newest one)
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u/Left_Twix3 1d ago
King of the Hill For Your Consideration tape. I’ve only ever seen one other person online with it