Your Old LaserDiscs May Be Worth Some Serious Cash
Once considered to be a serious player in the physical media market, LaserDiscs have since fallen by the wayside, but they still hold value even in today's market. By the turn of the new millennium, DVDs had taken over as the main home video format, and that caused a lot of people to abandon their LaserDisc collection and start anew.
If you're someone who amassed a large collection that's now stored away in an attic or basement, you might be surprised to know you could be sitting on a decent amount of cash. Thanks to the rise of collectors and a healthy dose of nostalgia, LaserDiscs are still being sought after today despite the rise of formats like Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD, with an honorable mention to the now-defunct HD-DVD. Digging out your box of discs won't guarantee you thousands of dollars overnight, but there's a chance you have something of value in there.
How to sell LaserDiscs
There are a variety of ways to clear out your collection of LaserDiscs and make some cash on the side. The easiest option would simply be to list them on eBay and let the bids roll in. Checking the sold items listings shows dozens of LaserDiscs being purchased daily, so the market is out there if you have something somebody wants.
If you want to avoid selling your discs for a lower price than you'd expect, it helps to know what the going rate is for specific LaserDiscs, and that can be done by using LaserDisc Database. This is a website that tracks all LaserDiscs on the market, and it automatically collects current auctions and the average price for each title. Using "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" as an example, we see the average price is $13.97 per sale for a sealed copy. It's a good tool that both buyers and sellers should be aware of.
Many different factors go into the selling price of a LaserDisc, the condition being a big one, but there are other things to look at too. The "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" example used above is the LV 1890 version released in 1987, and its average price is different than the LV 1890-WS version released in 1995. The prices between the two vary by just a few cents, but it's important to keep in mind so you don't lose money in a sale.
How to know what your LaserDisc is worth
Having a LaserDisc to sell is the most important step in the process, but its condition will play a huge factor in whether or not you can squeeze the most value out of it. Factory-sealed listings will bring a bigger profit than a disc that's been heavily played over the years. LaserDisc Database has a guide on how to grade your collection, and most discs will likely fall into the Mint/Near Mint categories if you've taken decent care of them. Laser rot is the big thing to look out for, as some of the poorer pressings of the disc may have broken down over time and might now cause issues with playback.
Despite LaserDisc players being hard to come by, the format is experiencing a bit of resurgence. Collectors are trying to track down some of the rarer LaserDiscs, and you might even have some. Some examples are a Japanese copy of Arnold Schwarzenegger's "The Sixth Day" selling for $2,250 back in May 2023 and a sealed copy of the original "Scream" that sold for $499.95 in March 2023. It's a big difference from just getting a couple of bucks from selling your old "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" disc.
If you currently have no way to play a LaserDisc, then selling them might be the best route for you to get some extra cash in your pocket.