The Unexpected Value Of Your Halloween II VHS Tape

The 1978 film "Halloween" was pioneering in many ways. For starters, "Halloween" was made on a shoestring budget which means that, fittingly, one of its central characters was portrayed by a completely unknown actress at the time: Jamie Lee Curtis. The flick also cemented director John Carpenter's place as a tour-de-force in the horror genre. Plus, Carpenter even created the iconic, suspenseful musical score for "Halloween" himself in an effort to save more money.

Based on the success of the original, the "Halloween" franchise eventually amassed a total of 13 related films, which includes a mix of sequels and remakes. The first of these was a sequel released in 1981, three years after the first film. Although as far as viewers are concerned, the time lapse is nonexistent since the plot of "Halloween II" picks up just minutes after the final events in the original chapter.

While "Halloween II" might not have received rave reviews from critics, it was nonetheless a blockbuster success with the public. In fact, any of those theater-goers that might have opted to purchase their own copies of the sequel on a, at the time, newfangled VHS tape could have a surprisingly valuable item on their hands. In fact, depending on the quality, some of those VHS copies could be worth as much as $15,000 today.

In a 2022 Heritage Auction, an early 1981 VHS tape of "Halloween II" sold for the truly amazing sum of $15,000. However, before you start contemplating the best time to comb your local thrift stores, note that this particular VHS cassette had some particularly desirable traits. Most notably, the five-figure copy of "Halloween II" was still sealed in its original plastic shrink wrap. That's right, it was still brand new after more than 40 years. It was also professionally graded by a professional grading service. Finally, the seller made the savvy decision to conclude the auction on October 31, 2022 — Halloween day. 

While $15,000 is an extraordinary sum, more commonplace copies of this VHS film can still be worth enough to pay for a nice restaurant meal. A quick browse of recently sold items on eBay uncovered several instances of used tapes selling in the $90 to $100 range, with an even greater number fetching at least $30 to $40. 

If you're motivated to start seeking out this particular VHS tape at garage sales, do note that it was reissued many times throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. With a few exceptions, the earliest copies are typically the most desirable. And while you're browsing those dusty bins, also keep an eye out for these other classic VHS tapes that can be worth a ton of money.

"Halloween II" was released towards the beginning of the reign of VHS tapes and, much like its Disney VHS counterparts, early releases are generally more valuable than later VHS cassettes that were still being manufactured as late as 2006. For example, an original "Halloween (I)" VHS tape from 1978 — one of the earliest tapes since the format only came to North America in 1977 — can be worth $500 or more with certain text on the outer carton.

Staying within the horror genre, thrift store hunters might also keep their eyes peeled for a gore-filled copy of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Although it was released in theaters in the pre-VHS era of 1974, a home video version from 1982 brought home a staggering $16,000 on eBay in 2023. However, factors like if the video is fully sealed in its original plastic warp, as well as how it's graded by a professional service can ultimately impact the price.

Finally, you can't talk about antagonist Michael Myers from "Halloween" without giving a shout out to Jason Vorhees from the "Friday the 13th" franchise. According to Heritage Auctions, an early 1980s sealed VHS of the original "Friday the 13th" installment sold for a respectable $6,250 in 2022.