VHS copy of ‘Back to the Future’ sells for $75,000, setting a new auction record

By Yenny Sanchez, CNN

Sometimes nostalgia comes with a big price tag.

A sealed, near-mint condition 1986 VHS tape of “Back to the Future” recently sold at auction for $75,000, setting a new record for a videotape.

The VHS copy was owned by actor Tom Wilson, who played Biff Tannen in the classic ’80s film. Wilson originally listed the tape, along with others, on eBay, but took them down when he received an overwhelming response. He then reached out to Heritage Auctions in Dallas to conduct a proper sale.

Wilson’s collection included sealed and graded VHS tapes of “Back to the Future II,” “Back to the Future III” and 1990’s “Back to the Future” trilogy boxed set. What made this collection special was Wilson’s offer to write a note to accompany each tape and sign each shipment.

A New York-based collector won a bidding war for the “Back to The Future” VHS copy, Heritage Auctions said, adding that the $75,000 price tag was “the highest price ever paid at auction for a sealed, graded VHS tape.”

VHS tapes are experiencing a resurgence among collectors, with Heritage Auctions fetching big money for such films as “The Goonies,” “Ghostbusters” and “Jaws.”

“We had no idea what was going to happen — no one’s done this before and to see the success, it’s amazing,” Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, told CNN. “When you see that, it’s a great sense of accomplishment, not even the financial aspect of it but just a moment of ‘I knew it! I knew nostalgic VHS tapes would be good.’ “

Maddalena said he hopes the sale will bring renewed interest to VHS tapes, and encourage more celebrities to part with their collections.

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