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Revealed: The Most Valuable VHS Tapes To Own

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First published March, 2016

Anyone with an old box of VHS tapes in the loft could just be quids in, although you’ll need to be quick to buy a VCR to play them on as the last company to make them is finally pulling the plug.

A list has now been compiled of the most valuable and sought-after video cassettes on the market, with some titles topping £1,500.

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Several of the titles featuring in the top 25 are from the ‘video nasty’ era of the 1970s, and received immediate bans in many countries.

Topping the list is the Italian cult horror 'Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks’, directed by Dick Randall and released in 1974.

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It can fetch up to £1,500 among collectors.

At number two is another Italian-produced move, the Nazi exploitation film 'The Beast In Heat’, banned in the UK in 1977 and now worth £1,200.

Meanwhile, a copy of a more popular title like 'The Evil Dead’ in the right condition and with the right sleeve design, could fetch £200.

Here’s the top 10 list:

1. Frankenstein’s Castle of Freaks (JVI) £1,500
2. The Beast in Heat (JVI) £1,200
3. Betrayed (Taboo) £1,100
4. Celestine (GO) £1,100
5. The Legend of Hillbilly John (Rainbow) £1,000
6. Journey Into Beyond (Citycenta GO) £1,000
7. Lemora, Lady Dracula (IFS) £900
8. Don’t Open the Window (Films of the 80s) £900
9. Flesh Eaters (Knockout) £800
10. Black Decameron (Intervision) £800

“It’s interesting to see how certain VHS tapes have increased in value over the last 50 years or so,” said Will Thomas of LoveAntiques, who compiled the list.

“What’s not surprising is that the rarer more obscure titles are worth the most. Whilst the ‘video nasties’ of the 70s that dominate the top of the list aren’t of public interest, perhaps, there are thousands of collectors in the world who would be willing to pay a pretty penny for it and thus, make it a wise investment like many antique and vintage products.”

Anyone interested in investing in VHS media should seemingly avoid releases on labels like Cinema Club and 4Front, as they would have been mass produced, but instead look for titles never released on Blu-ray or DVD, or the small batch 'video nasty’ releases on labels including Knockout and Trytel.

You can see the full top 25 list here…

Image credits: Rex Features/JVI