You could be sitting on a small fortune—and have no idea. In the darkest corner of your attic, buried beneath old clothes and forgotten boxes, those dusty VHS tapes might deserve a second look. Certain rare editions have attracted serious collector interest, and online listings sometimes carry eye-popping asking prices.

Disney tapes often get the most attention, especially releases associated with the famous “Black Diamond” collection. You may have seen posts showing ordinary-looking copies listed for hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars. One tape might appear online with a $9,999 price tag, making people rush to check their childhood collections.

But there’s an important catch: a listing price is not the same as a selling price. Anyone can ask thousands of dollars for an old VHS. What really determines value is whether collectors have actually paid similar amounts. Most common Disney VHS tapes are still worth relatively little, while genuinely scarce releases, unusual variants, sealed copies, promotional tapes, recalled editions, and certain horror or cult films can be much more desirable.

Before throwing away that old box, check the exact title, release year, edition, packaging, condition, and any unusual markings. Then search recent sold listings rather than simply looking at what sellers are asking.

That forgotten tape probably won’t pay off your mortgage—but occasionally, something genuinely rare has been sitting unnoticed on a shelf for decades.

So before the next attic cleanout, check those VHS tapes carefully. The boring-looking one could be the collectible everyone else threw away.