By Nicole Pyles, Mental Floss | In the age of easy-to-access digital music, it’s hard to imagine a time when audio cassette tapes were popular. But back in the 1980s and ‘90s, cassette tapes were everything, even surpassing vinyl as the go-to way to listen to music (or even win over a prospective love interest).
Nowadays, music you can actually hold in your hands feels novel compared to its digital brethren. Although cassettes are making a slow comeback, most people probably don’t think of tapes as a must-have item, let alone anything of value—but those folks would be wrong. One of the most coveted, for instance, is a self-titled, self-released demo tape by Linkin Park (issued under the band’s original name, Xero), which recently sold for about $4500.
You don’t have to have rare demos or impossible-to-find collectibles to make money off your cassette tapes. While first pressings or tapes that are still sealed typically command the highest resale value, you can still make a pretty decent buck even if they are opened. With that in mind, we’ve scoured eBay for the most valuable finds from the ‘80s and ‘90s that you probably have somewhere in the back of your closet.
1. Pearl Jam // Ten (1991)
Pearl Jam’s seminal debut album Ten was instrumental in the rise of grunge and alternative rock during the 1990s. It was also the band’s most commercially successful album, selling over 15 million copies and producing hits like “Even Flow” and “Jeremy,” the latter of which inspired a music video that was in heavy rotation on MTV.
If you have a sealed, first pressing of Ten on cassette, it could net you up to $4000 on eBay. Others have sold for less, but still go for between $400 to $700, while a used copy averages about $20 or so.
2. Nirvana // Nevermind (1991)
It may not be hard to figure out why Nirvana’s sophomore album Nevermind is worth a lot of money these days. In January 1992, it became the No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, and its lead single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” was later inducted in 2017 into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
While there’s been some controversy around Nevermind in recent years— Spencer Elden, the infamous naked baby featured on the cover, sued Nirvana in 2021, alleging sexual exploitation and emotional distress, among other things—it’s still considered an iconic part of the alt-rock revolution. Completely sealed, the tape could bring up to $1500 on eBay. No worries if you happen to have one that’s unsealed; those can be sold for about $50 and up.
3. Beastie Boys // Licensed to Ill (1986)
> > > > > > > > >
Go here to read the full article and to see if you might have a valuable cassette tape:
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/10-of-the-most-valuable-cassette-tapes-from-the-80s-and-90s
Photo: Cassette tape
10 of the Most Valuable Cassette Tapes From the ‘80s and ‘90s
