Going for: $47,777 Can you believe it’s been 83 years since this movie originally came into the world? That’s longer than some people’s entire lives. And, even though it may be older, the classic is still widely regarded as one of the best-animated fairy tales of all time. Disney based his version off of the original tale, published in 1812 by The Brothers Grimm. If you’ve ever read the original, you know that it wasn’t exactly created for children. In fact, the first story was pretty twisted, but Disney cleaned it up and turned it into a family favorite.
One US seller on eBay has their Black Diamond VHS of Disney’s first animated movie listed at an insane $47,777 – more than many people make in a single year. The seller even acknowledges in the ad that the price is way over-the-top but adds that they “guess there is someone in the world who appreciates the humor and logic behind this.” Well, my guess is that the listing’s going to live for as long as Disney’s masterpiece has.
Bambi
Going for: $24,000 This 1942 animated classic made us all feel a little too much when Bambi lost her mother in the woods. In fact, that moment is often referenced as one of the saddest in the history of film. But the fact it was capable of tugging on our heartstrings is only one of the reasons why it’s an all-time family favorite. And, perhaps it’s also part of the reason why the Black Diamond VHS of Bambi is listed at $24,000.
If you do some digging, you’ll see a consensus that the copy is really only worth several hundred dollars, but that doesn’t change the fact some people are trying to get much, much more for it. The most expensive listing claims that it’s a special edition with additional scenes and a look into the making of the film. Still, even if you only have the original, regular edition, several hundred is quite a profit on a movie you probably paid $10 or less for!
The Little Mermaid
Going for: $30,000-$60,300 This classic tale has really never lost its momentum. It’s always been a popular movie and story, ever since it was first created in 1837 by Hans Christian Andersen. Then, Walt Disney turned it into an animated masterpiece in 1989. Now, there’s a live-action remake in the works that will be coming to a theater near you in April 2020.
Even before the announcement was made that they’d be creating the live-action version of the film, Black Diamond copies of the Disney original were selling for outrageous prices online. Right now, there’s one listing at nearly $30,000, but another of a rare, limited edition at over $60,300! According to the seller, it’s a sealed, “fully restored special edition.” Well, it must be pretty special for someone to throw so much money at it. Then again, it’s still sitting on eBay, so no one’s taken the bait just yet. It’ll be that seller’s lucky day if and when they do, though!
The Fox and the Hound
Going for: $30,000-$50,000 This classic animated tale taught us all about the value of friendship, and how we should never judge anyone, especially based on generalizations. The story was first published by a novelist working for The Walt Disney Company in 1967. If you’re like me and you can’t stand to watch films about animals being killed by heartless humans, this probably isn’t the best investment for you. But if you’re a big Fox and the Hound fan and you’ve got deep pockets, the Black Diamond version can be yours for between $30,000 and $50,000!
Unlike the previous title on our list, there are multiple sellers who’ve got this one listed for some hefty prices. Perhaps that’s because it’s actually worth more, or maybe they’re just jumping on the bandwagon of hoping that someone’s actually going to bite. The most expensive copy is listed for $50,000. There doesn’t seem to be anything special about it, either, so if you’ve got a 1994 VHS of this movie, maybe it’s time for you to hop on that bandwagon, too! It couldn’t hurt, right?
Beauty and the Beast
Going for: $550,000 And you thought you’d already seen the most ridiculous prices. Nope, not even close. Beauty and the Beast may be a classic, but is a VHS from 1992 really worth half a million? The person selling it probably doesn’t think so, either, but that hasn’t stopped them from creating the listing. The worst part is, it doesn’t say there’s anything special about it other than it’s a Black Diamond Home Video edition – but there’s another one of those selling for $9,000. It also says in the description that the pictures show “the exact item that will be shipped to you,” only the pictures just show the box, not the actual tape.
If you haven’t heard all of the eBay horror stories by now, it’s not uncommon for sellers to list high ticket items and show images of the boxes. Then, when the buyer gets the delivery, they find that they only receive the box and no actual product, and eBay can’t do anything for them since the buyer will say, “well, there are photos.” It’s unfortunate, but it does happen, and think of how upset someone would be to receive an empty box for over $500,000. Even if that’s not the case and they plan on parting with the VHS, it still seems like a stretch – one that can fit around the world a couple of times.