How to make money from your old cassettes

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It’s a new year and you’re probably thinking about sorting your house out. Getting rid of the old and bringing in the new, but before you throw all your unwanted items in the bin why not take a minute to see if anything’s worth a little money. Here at MoneyMagpie, we’ve previously shared with you our tips on how to make money selling your own VHS tapes. Now we want to share with you how to make money selling your old cassettes.

make money from old casette tapes

Cassettes have been considered outdated for a number of years due to the emergence of streaming and the introduction of the CD. But in recent years there has been a resurgence in the number of cassettes sold. Research from the BPI showed that in 2020, 157,000 cassettes had been sold in the UK, in 2021 this number rose to 185,000 a growth of 19%.  So instead of throwing out that dusty pile of tapes, why not see if they’re worth anything?

 

• Where to sell
• Should I invest?
• Top of the charts – the most valuable cassettes for sale

 

Where to sell

Living in the digital age means there are lots of online options when it comes to where to sell but remember sometimes selling in person can be just as effective.

 

• eBay

eBay is the biggest online auction site so it’s a good place to start when selling your old cassette tapes. From Bjork to 2Pac to the Spice Girls, if you can name it, it’s probably on there. Take some time to peruse the site and price your tapes accordingly. You can sell them as singles or job lots but either way you’re going to cash in on your junk.

 

• Amazon

Amazon lets you list what you want on your own store so it could be the perfect place to sell your collection, but it is worth taking into account the selling fees they charge for using their site.

• Local record stores

If you do your research, you might find a local record store that’s willing to take your old cassettes off your hands. You might not get as much as if you sell online but you don’t have to worry about posting them out and you’ll get your money there and then.

• Car boot sales and vintage fairs

We all love a good car boot sale, so why not find out where your local one is and get yourself a table. You might meet a local music lover who wants to buy your tapes or who could point you in the direction of a fanatic. It’s amazing what networking can do when it comes to selling.

 

Should I invest?

It’s clear to see that Cassettes are making a comeback with more people buying nostalgia due to the pandemic. As well as younger people buying limited releases from their favourite artists.  So, should you invest?  If you love the nostalgia and still have a tape player that works – why not? It’s another way of supporting your favourite artists and lets you have a physical copy of their music instead of constant streaming.  If you choose to invest in limited release cassettes and sell them in the future, you might make your money back and then some. But like all investments, there is an element of risk, and we can’t predict how long the cassette market will keep growing.

Top of the charts – the most valuable cassettes for sale

selling old casettes

 

1. Xero – Xero.

This title might not be known to many, but it was the first self-released and self-titled album by the band that would go on to be known as Linkin Park. There’s are not many copies around justifying its whopping $4,500 price tag.

2. The Artist (Formerly Known As Prince) – The Versace Experience – Prelude 2 Gold

Created exclusively for the attendees of Paris Fashion Week in 1995, this cassette sold for $4,117. This very limited release also states its “4 promotional use only – not 4 sale” – but for that price why wouldn’t you sell?

 

3. Various – United Diaries 1979-87

This 32-tape collection – complete with suitcase comprises all of United Diaries works from 1979-87. It’s pretty experimental music so you might not have heard of Steven Stapleton, Nurse With Wound and similar artists that were involved in its creation. It is in the top 100 list multiple times with the most it has been sold for being $2,300.

 

4. Throbbing Gristle – 24 Hours

Originally limited to 50 copies this was a 26-tape collection with matching suitcase for storage. Released in 1980, each of the 50 sets was personalised to the buyer and dated, sent out with hand-made collages each one was completely unique. Initially retailing for £77 in the UK, it recently sold for £2,200 – so maybe check your attic for it.

 

5. Various – De La Viande Pour Le Disco

Selling for $1,818 this French cassette is not widely known on the UK market, so you probably don’t have this one lying around in the loft.

So maybe it’s time to dig around your attic and price up your old cassette collection – you might be sitting on a gold mine.

 

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