These DVDs Sold for Shocking Amounts of Money

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It’s become common, even among dedicated movie fans, to see DVDs as relics of the past. I was initially surprised to learn that many cinephiles had stopped using DVD or Blu-ray players. But after hearing this repeatedly over the past few years, it doesn’t surprise me anymore.

Despite their age, some people still enjoy DVDs and VHS tapes. Just like the market for used VHS tapes has grown recently, there’s evidence that DVDs could become popular with collectors too. Many of the companies that now assess the quality and genuineness of tapes also offer these services for DVDs.

Currently, there are far fewer collectors of graded DVDs than VHS tapes. While some graded VHS tapes have recently sold for hundreds, and even over a thousand, dollars on eBay, graded DVDs haven’t reached those prices. However, a good number of graded DVDs have been selling for hundreds of dollars.

Here are 10 DVDs that received grades and surprisingly sold for high prices on eBay. The price information comes directly from eBay’s seller resources, where you can look up past sales. I’m not suggesting anyone buy DVDs as an investment – that would be unwise. However, seeing these prices did make me briefly wonder if a graded copy of Avatar might be worth buying, considering how dedicated Avatar fans are.

Graded DVDs Worth Huge Amounts of Money

No Country For Old Men

This No Country for Old Men DVD received a grade of CGC 9.6 and sold for $100.00. Seeing the silver “WINNER!” sticker (referencing its Academy Award) instantly brings back memories of browsing the Virgin Megastore. It’s a strong, vivid feeling – like being transported back in time, similar to the emotional scene with Anton Ego in Ratatouille.

Pokémon Collector’s Set

This Pokémon DVD, featuring four movies, recently sold for $109.00 and is graded CGC 9.6. While Pokémon cards are currently the most popular collectibles, interest in other Pokémon items, like DVDs, is growing. Though DVDs haven’t reached the high prices of vintage cards yet, this sale suggests they could become quite valuable in the future. It’s worth noting that this isn’t even the most expensive Pokémon movie available.

Blade

This DVD copy of Blade received a grade of 9.6 from CGC and sold for $120.00. Blade was a groundbreaking film for Marvel, as it proved that movies based on their comics could be successful – no previous adaptations had achieved that. The film’s success led to sequels and paved the way for other popular Marvel movies like X-Men and Spider-Man. If you’re looking for a DVD with historical importance in the superhero movie genre, Blade is a great pick. This copy is also part of the ‘New Line Platinum Series,’ making it even more collectible!

Pokémon Heroes: The Movie

This Pokémon DVD is graded CGC 9.4 and recently sold for $149.99. It’s pretty unbelievable when I think back to my time selling Pokémon cards at a comic book store. They were incredibly popular for a while, and if someone had told me then that, years later, I’d be writing about a Pokémon DVD selling for $150, I wouldn’t have believed them!

Avatar

This copy of Avatar received a grade of CGC 9.6 and sold for $149.99. It’s not surprising someone would want a perfect, sealed copy of Avatar on DVD to preserve it like a collector’s item – it just makes sense!

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

This comic book graded 9.8 sold for $225.00. I actually own a copy of this exact issue! If I had kept mine sealed and hadn’t watched the movie it’s based on so many times, I could have made an extra $225.

Underworld

This item received a grade of WATA 9.8 and sold for $199.00. I was surprised to see so much continued interest in the Underworld series! I honestly thought I was the only one who still remembered it. It seems the appeal of werewolves versus vampires is still strong!

Cars

This collectible DVD, graded CGC 9.8, recently sold for $300. For years, movie studios sent out “For Your Consideration” DVDs to film critics and Academy members as part of awards campaigns. These weren’t meant to be sold, so finding one for sale—especially at that price—is unusual. While these DVDs are rare and can be valuable, it’s surprising to see a Cars DVD sell for so much.

The Wolf of Wall Street

Grade: CGC 9.8
Sold For: $500
DVDs to the modern cinephile world: ”I’m not f—ing leaving!”

The Matrix

This copy of The Matrix DVD, graded CGC 9.8 (nearly flawless), recently sold for $600 on eBay. It’s an older version from Warner Bros. packaged in cardboard—those cardboard cases were easily damaged, making perfect copies rare. While I personally wouldn’t spend that much, someone clearly thought it was worth the price.

Graded VHS Tapes Worth Huge Amounts of Money

National Lampoon’s European Vacation

This comic book received a grade of 9.4 from CGC and sold for $500.00. Generally, collectors are only interested in comics they loved as children. The most valuable comics tap into that nostalgia from the 1980s and 1990s, such as issues based on the National Lampoon’s Vacation series, including the 1985 sequel, European Vacation.

Explorers

This copy of the movie Explorers received a grade of CGC 9.4 and sold for $500. While Explorers wasn’t a huge blockbuster or critically acclaimed film, it holds a special place for those who grew up watching it on VHS in the mid-1980s. For those nostalgic viewers, $500 for a nearly perfect copy seems like a reasonable price.

The Terminator

This VHS copy of The Terminator received a grade of 9.8 from CGC and sold for $519.99. Considering the film’s popularity and impact in the 1980s, that price seems surprisingly low.

Return of the Jedi

This copy of Return of the Jedi received a grade of 9.6 from CGC and sold for $552.49. A key factor in its value is the strong existing fanbase for Star Wars collectibles. Because so many people collect Star Wars memorabilia, there’s high demand for original VHS copies of the films, like this CBS/Fox release from the mid-1980s.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship: The Beginning

This VHS tape of the first-ever UFC pay-per-view is a rare piece of sports history, and the market for collectibles like this is currently very strong. Graded CGC 9.4, it recently sold for $600.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors

This VHS tape received a grade of 9.4 and sold for $700.00. Horror tapes consistently fetch the highest prices on eBay. There’s a lot to say about why horror fans love VHS – it likely stems from the format’s role in introducing many ’80s kids to scary movies, especially those they weren’t old enough to see in theaters. Because of this, graded tapes from franchises like A Nightmare on Elm Street are particularly sought after.

The Empire Strikes Back

This comic book graded 9.4 by CGC sold for $750. It’s not surprising that The Empire Strikes Back fetched a higher price than Return of the Jedi. Most collectors would prefer The Empire Strikes Back for $750 over Return of the Jedi for $550, and that’s reflected in the sale price.

Over the Top

This particular sale is a bit unexpected. While Sylvester Stallone was a huge star in the 80s and his movies were popular rentals, Over the Top – the film about his character arm wrestling for custody of his son – isn’t considered one of his best. Films like Rocky IV and Rambo: First Blood Part II would make more sense as collector’s items. Paying $750 for a professionally graded copy of Over the Top seems a little… unusual, to say the least. I’m still trying to find the right way to put it.

The Wizard

This Nintendo game, graded at 9.4, recently sold for $850. Like rare VHS tapes, vintage Nintendo games, especially sealed and professionally graded ones, are becoming highly collectible. It’s not surprising that someone willing to spend a lot on a perfect copy of Super Mario Bros. 3 would also pay $850 for The Wizard, a movie from the late 1980s that heavily featured Nintendo games.

Star Wars

This VHS copy of The Empire Strikes Back received a grade of 9.4 and sold for $868.00. The seller playfully notes that if copies of The Empire Strikes Back are more valuable than Return of the Jedi, then Star Wars tapes must be even more valuable. They jokingly suggest that being able to actually watch the movie, without any potential issues with a damaged case, justifies the price tag.

Halloween II

This copy of Halloween II received a grade of CGC 9.6 and recently sold for $900. While sequels are usually worth less than original movies on VHS, certain horror sequels can still be quite valuable, and this particular copy proves that. The value of vintage VHS tapes generally increases with age and popularity.

Predator

This copy of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Predator comic book received a grade of 9.4 from CGC and sold for $950. I was the one who bought it—a nearly perfect condition copy! (Please don’t tell my wife; I’d be in trouble!)

Back to the Future

This copy of Back to the Future received a grade of 9.6 from CGC and sold for $1,150.00. It’s an early print with a red MCA label, which makes it particularly valuable. There are many different editions of this and other VHS tapes, and researching them can reveal which ones are the rarest and most sought after – but that’s a time-consuming task I don’t have time for right now!

Halloween

This VHS copy of Halloween received a grade of 9.2 from CGC and sold for $1,249.99. Before researching collectible VHS tapes, I would have predicted Halloween would be highly sought after. It’s a timeless classic, a cornerstone of the slasher genre, and was released early in the VHS format, meaning first-edition copies are likely rare – and my prediction proved correct.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

This comic book received a grade of 9.6 from CGC and sold for $1,282.00. The seller playfully referenced the movie ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ with a rhyming description, highlighting the high demand and value collectors place on items related to the franchise.

The Matrix

This copy of The Matrix received a grade of 9.8 from CGC and sold for $1,425.00. While many highly sought-after graded VHS tapes are from earlier years, this one is from 1999. This later release date actually increases its value, because VHS tapes were becoming rare by then, making copies of The Matrix harder to find. The seller also jokingly noted that, in the film’s dystopian future, analog copies like this would be the only ones still functional.

Jaws

This copy of Jaws received a grade of CGC 9.6 and sold for $1,500.00. Similar to the collectibility of Halloween, Jaws is a historically significant horror classic, and early VHS releases are now over 40 years old. Now might be a good time to start collecting movies from your childhood!

Friday the 13th

This tape received a grade of VGA 85+ and sold for $1,691.00. It’s actually a Betamax tape, not VHS, which could be a problem if the buyer wants to watch it – working Betamax players are very hard to find. However, the buyer likely isn’t interested in watching Friday the 13th; they’re purchasing it as a collectible piece of slasher film history.

Transformers: The Movie

This copy of the original Transformers movie received a grade of 9.4 from CGC and recently sold for $1,725 on eBay. While the movie was a bit scary for me as a child, it’s clear that dedicated Transformers fans are willing to pay a lot for a piece of its history.

Pokémon: The First Movie

This copy of Pokémon: The First Movie on VHS recently sold for $1,750.00. It received a grade of 9.8 from CGC, which is considered near-perfect. With rare Pokémon cards now selling for incredibly high prices – like a Pikachu that recently went for over $16.4 million – it’s not surprising that early VHS tapes are also becoming highly sought after.

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2026-03-24 00:01