People are selling old Disney tapes for thousands on eBay, but there could be a massive catch

If you were a fan of Disney when you were growing up, then you've absolutely come to the right place.

According to Pedestrian magazine, collections of old Disney VHS tapes are being listed for thousands of pounds on eBay, with one seller listing a copy of The Little Mermaid on VHS for a whopping $13,084 Aud (£7134).

The version of the VHS comes with 'banned cover art', an accidental penis-like castle tower which was eventually discontinued.

Quick! Check the back of your cupboards!

Another important thing to look for on the VHS case is if there's the 'Black Diamond' collection, which refers to the black diamond logo on the VHS spine.

The 'Black Diamond' set consists of the Disney 'classics', with one 10-set selling for an astronomical $25,476 Aud (£13891) on eBay. The set includes The Fox and the Hound, Cinderella, Bambi, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lady and the Tramp, 101 Dalmatians, and The Great Mouse Detective.

It's not just Disney VHS cassettes that can command towering prices. Earlier this year, a first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone sold for a cool $126,000 Aud (£68,706).

However, as is often the way in life, if it seems too good to be true, it most probably is.

While these Disney movies might appear to be selling for astronomical prices, all may not be as it seems, and they might not actually be worth that much, reports Vice.

In 2018, the Balance Small Business Blog pointed out that a product's asking price on eBay is wildly different from its actual selling price.

Speaking to Vice, Raju PP, CEO of personalised tech media blog Tech PP said:

There are a lot of people who just look and participate for fun and simply increase the bid, but don’t actually buy it. 

In this case, my opinion is that it is probably not every seller is genuine, but it’s been happening since 2016 and people who got to know are trying their luck or trying to sell it at this high price.

Furthermore, because eBay allows users to bid on objects without actually committing to buying them, the price actually paid might not be reflected in what is shown on the website.

It could even just be a way of laundering money, or selling banned substances under disguise, reports Vice.

However, there's never any harm in dreaming! Best to get home to mum and dad's and check the cupboards anyway, right?

HT Pedestrian

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