Despite cassette tapes being part of the past, an abundant market still favors them. For some, music cassettes serve as nostalgia representing simpler times; for others, these are rarities that possess significant value in prized music collections.
While on the topic of rarity, a music cassette’s rarity also depends on other factors, like its performance upon its original release, the artist, and its legacy. That said, here are five of the most expensive cassette tapes ever sold.
The Madonna Collection
As a collection dedicated to the works of Madonna, Warner Bros released the limited-edition cassette box set in 1987. This tape compilation was an exclusive release in the Philippines, containing four of Madonna’s albums released from 1984 to 1987.
The tapes came in custom video-style cases with a rare picture inlay. The collection also featured a 20-page booklet with English lyrics for all the tracks. While it’s difficult to determine how many copies of the collection reached the hands of fans, few copies survived over the years.
One copy of the boxed collection sold in 2015 for $1,500.
The Versace Experience
The Versace Experience: Prelude 2 Gold was a promotional cassette tape released by Prince in 1995. The cassette was a featured item at the Paris Fashion Week to promote Prince’s upcoming album, The Gold Experience.
Only 300 copies of the music contribution were given to visitors who attended the Versace Collection fashion show. Not intended for sale, the mixtape’s rarity made it the most expensive cassette tape sold in 2016 at $4,017.
Xero
Many avid collectors recognize this entry as today’s most expensive music cassette tape. The most recent version sold for a record-setting price of $4,500! Some people may not realize that the band behind this valuable item is a well-known music group still in the business today.
Xero marks the humble beginnings of the world-famous music band most recognize as Linkin Park. The self-titled tape was the first musical contribution of the band before welcoming the late Chester Bennington as lead vocalist.
While the band released the album in 1997 with two different covers, both versions contained the same tracks. There are only 16 known existing copies of the album to this day.
While this list only mentions five of the most expensive cassette tapes ever sold, it provides an insight into a time when this form of portable music reigned supreme. It doesn’t stop there! Consider reading up on five of the most famous albums released on cassette to brush up on your music history.
