Original Star Wars VHS Is Auctioning For A Shocking Amount
But why are these Star Wars movies worth so much? The first edition of anything will always rake in a lot of money at auctions. Although this is usually associated with books, first edition VHS copies of any movie are hard to find – especially sealed ones.
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It seems like a lifetime ago since VHS tapes and players filled up the shelves of living rooms around the world. But that doesn’t mean the format has completely disappeared. On eBay, Facebook trading posts, and other platforms, collectors are actively buying and selling video cassettes for prices that stretch into the thousands of dollars. Now, an unopened VHS copy of Star Wars: A New Hope is expected to sell for a whopping $60,000.
The latest available copy of Star Wars: A New Hope is being sold by Goldin. The company is the leading marketplace for trading cards, collectibles, and memorabilia – serving millions of customers globally. For their latest offering, Goldin is hosting an online sale featuring a handful of vintage VHS tapes. One of which is the 1984 first release of Star Wars.
The copy includes a Gray Tape-Head, a First Edition Stereo Only red label, a 1984 Sleeve, and First Edition CBS/Fox Watermarks. There are also two other 1984 Star Wars VHS copies for sale, as well as a sealed copy of the Star Wars 10-Year Anniversary Original Trilogy set in a special case. The set is expected to sell for between $10,000 and $20,000. The sale is set to end on Wednesday, February 23rd.
But why are these Star Wars movies worth so much? The first edition of anything will always rake in a lot of money at auctions. Although this is usually associated with books, first edition VHS copies of any movie are hard to find – especially sealed ones. But now that everyone has learned the true value of “mint in box” there are sure to be a lot of similar pop culture and movie paraphernalia auctions in the future.
While there isn’t an official record, no other movie or franchise has had as many video releases as the original Star Wars trilogy. And their value on VHS is essentially due to the interest of collectors, who often hand over their hard-earned cash for the 1982 rental version of 1977’s Episode IV: A New Hope. Because it’s one of the only ways to watch an unaltered version of the story, as many home video releases later changed or added special effects.
Star Wars: A New Hope has cemented its place in movie history as arguably the world’s first real blockbuster. Following its release in 1977, the film marked the beginning of the most influential franchise of all time. Set in a galaxy far, far away the story chronicled the adventures of a rag-tag band of heroes made up of a moisture farmer, a princess, a smuggler, a Wookie, and droids who defy an evil Empire. Decades later, George Lucas’ space tale continues to resonate with audiences the world over.
Meanwhile, the Star Wars franchise continues to grow. George Lucas released a prequel trilogy to the original three in 1999 with Episode I – The Phantom Menace. It was followed by 2002’s Episode II – Attack of the Clones, and Episode III – Revenge of the Sith in 2005. When Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, Star Wars was introduced to another generation of viewers, with various sequels and spinoffs. This includes animated and live-action shows like The Bad Batch, The Mandalorian, and The Book of Boba Fett
