Got a box of old VHS tapes gathering dust in your garage or attic? It might be time to dig them out, as savvy movie fans are making a fortune right now by selling their rare or top-quality video tapes on eBay.

Read on to find out if you own any of the most valuble video tapes, and how much they might be worth. Bear in mind that the prices quoted will be for pristine condition, and in some cases still sealed, tapes in their original boxes. All dollar amounts in US dollars.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, arguably one of the most iconic horror movies of all time, was released in 1974. A rare first edition Wizard Video copy recently sold for $699 (£518) on eBay, while other tapes from the same run have sold for more than $400 (£296) a pop.

The various VHS versions of the film contain gruesome scenes that were cut from later releases. Horror fanatics will therefore pay top dollar to own these unique moments, and for that very reason a sealed, uncut and unedited edition from 1993 fetched a cool $483.87 (£359).

Starring Tom Cruise, Top Gun was one of the highest-grossing movies of the 1980s, so it's likely that many people own, or have owned, a copy of the hit action-drama flick on VHS.

Still have yours? Well, an original 1986 factory-sealed version recently sold for an impressive $1,379 (£1,021). Factory-sealed VHS tapes are considered collectable and are likely to only appreciate in value over time, therefore commanding higher prices. So if you opened yours sadly it's not likely to be worth much.

Since its release in 1988, John Carpenter's They Live has become a cult classic. Like many low-budget sci-fi films of its time, the movie had a limited production run, meaning that the 1989 first press VHS tapes are ultra-collectable and can sell for huge sums of money.

For example, one sealed edition sold for a staggering $1,475 (£1,092). While sealed videos usually command higher prices, used copies can also fetch a decent sum. An unsealed, ex-rental copy of They Live sold for $67.49 (£50) — not bad for an old tape that had been gathering dust in the video store, right?

Stand by Me, the 1986 coming-of-age movie that starred the late River Phoenix, is widely regarded as a cinematic classic.

Both in mint condition, two factory-sealed, first slipcover editions of the flick sold for $1,500 (£1,111) and $1,408 (£1,043) on eBay recently. If you think a copy might be hiding in the garage, it could be time to get searching...

While there have been numerous imaginings of the vigilante superhero over the years, it's Tim Burton's 1989 Batman, starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson, that could be worth the big bucks.

First edition factory-sealed copies of the movie are going for a small fortune on eBay; one such VHS sold recently for $1,525 (£1,130) while another fetched a lower, yet still pretty impressive, $1,025 (£759).

Released in 1979, most sci-fi-horror fans are likely to own (or have owned) a VHS copy of Ridley Scott's Alien.

Got a copy of the classic movie at home somewhere? It could be worth finding. A sealed edition from 1984 sold for a cool $1,775 (£1,315), while another from the same year went for $1,525 (£1,130). 

Creepy sci-fi movie Predator, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, hit the silver screen in 1987, and the first VHS release of the action flick is seemingly quite valuable.

One factory-sealed version sold for $1,824 (£1,351), while another fetched $1,500 (£1,111). Own a 1991 edition instead? These can also earn a tidy sum when in pristine condition, with two such tapes selling recently for $490 (£363) and $415 (£307). 

Anything relating to superheroes or comic books (or both, for that matter) is ultra-collectable at the moment, with fans lapping up everything from clothing and dolls to décor and artwork and, of course, video tapes.

With that in mind, it figures that a VHS copy of 1980's Superman II is worth a small fortune. An original first press factory-sealed edition of the movie fetched an impressive $1,859 (£1,377). Although first presses naturally tend to be more valuable, a still-sealed copy from 1990 sold for a not-too-shabby $331 (£245). 

Superhero connoisseurs might also want to check their collections for the film's predecessor, 1978's Superman. 

A factory-sealed copy dating back to 1986 sold for an impressive $1,913 (£1,418), and it goes without saying that the earlier the press, the more money it's likely to make! 

Assessed by the Investment Grading Services (IGS), a rare first press, sealed VHS of the 1987 movie RoboCop sold recently for a whopping $1,950 (£1,445).

A similar factory-sealed first press VHS, but without the IGS grading, fetched the tidy sum of $1,825 (£1,353). Collectors will pay more for IGS-graded VHS tapes as the grading is widely considered to be indicative of a safer investment, especially when purchasing online. 

If you grew up in the 1980s, you almost certainly possessed a Ghostbusters VHS at some point, and you might be about to kick yourself if you threw yours away. 

Factory-sealed copies complete with a covetable red border design are now worth a small fortune on eBay, with one 1985 version selling for a whopping $1,999 (£1,481), and a 1984 first edition fetching $1,875 (£1,389).

Any film buff worth their salt is familiar with the work of Quentin Tarantino, who has written and directed everything from Django Unchained to Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. However, it's the factory-sealed video tapes of the iconic film-maker's earlier works that can be highly collectable and sell for big money.

Want an example? An IGS-graded copy of 2003's Kill Bill Volume 1 recently sold for $2,000 (£1,482). A factory-sealed version, minus the IGS grading, also fetched a tidy $599.99 (£445). 

If you were a 90s kid, or the parent of one, you might have owned a copy of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie, which landed in cinemas in 1990.

A first press sealed VHS recently sold for $2,015 (£1,493). Why the premium price? The tape featured a Pizza Hut sticker on the box, marking it out as an extremely rare and limited edition version of the movie.

Just like the other installments of the franchise, a VHS of the Superman III movie, which flew onto screens in 1983, is more collectable than ever, thanks to superheroes enjoying a prolonged surge in popularity.

Want proof? A factory-sealed, first press edition of this flick recently fetched a whopping $2,027 (£1,502) on eBay. 

Released in 1988 and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as US Army Captain Frank Dux, Bloodsport is a cult classic. It's reportedly tricky to track down a copy of the martial arts movie on video tape, meaning the VHS can command a high price.

One such first-edition sealed video tape went for $2,175 (£1,611), while newer presses of the VHS can also command high prices; one sealed copy from 1994 sold for $1,934 (£1,433).

Fight Club is a favourite with film fanatics, and many would pay a small fortune to add a rare VHS edition of David Fincher's masterpiece to their collection.

Graded 'double mint' by the IGS, a first press, factory-sealed VHS of the 1999 movie fetched $2,275 (£1,685) on eBay. The 'double mint' accolade means the tape is in pristine condition, in case you were wondering.

Star Wars fans are among the most devoted, with many willing to pay top-dollar for memorabilia and collectables. This includes VHS tapes, with a factory-sealed copy of 1977's Star Wars (before it was Episode IV - A New Hope) fetching a whopping $2,500 (£1,852) on eBay.

Purchasing older VHS presses of the original trilogy is one of the few ways to view an unaltered version of the film, with the more recent editions featuring added or updated special effects. For this reason, the originals are now worth serious money. While factory-sealed copies are among the most valuable, even used VHS tapes can sell for upward of $100 (£74).

Contrary to what various online articles claim, it's a myth that owning so-called 'Black Diamond' Disney VHS tapes could set you up for an early retirement. However, one Disney VHS that could earn you some money is the 'banned' 1989 edition of The Little Mermaid, which made a splash on its release, but for all the wrong reasons. The video tape caused controversy among parents, who believed the castle depicted on the box had phallic design elements. 

Subsequent VHS covers for the movie were released, making the original 'taboo' version extremely rare, and therefore valuable. One sealed copy sold for a whopping $3,640 (£2,697), with the earnings reportedly donated to charity, while another fetched $1,000 (£741).

But that's peanuts compared to our next high-value video tape. A factory-sealed, IGS-graded VHS of 1980's Star Wars – The Empire Strikes Back, pressed in 1984, recently sold for a staggering $4,266 (£3,160).

Since the rights to the franchise were acquired by Disney in 2012, Star Wars has been having a major revival, which only serves to further boost the value of the video tapes.

If you can bear to part ways with your copy of Star Wars – Return of the Jedi, a 1986 press of the movie recently sold for a staggering $5,301 (£3,927).

Naturally, to command such a high price, it was factory-sealed and IGS-graded. We think Luke Skywalker would approve...

Now discover the celebrites who have unusual collections that are worth a fortune