Rare vinyl records can be as worthy as gold in weight. Some of these records could also be rattling in your attic or garage.
Even in this digital age, many people prefer vinyl records; they believe listening to vinyl recordings is the purest form of music. Nobody can exactly tell the cause, but this can also be the reason behind the incredible resurgence of vinyl records.
Pressings are remastered, but they can’t match the rare vinyl records that sell for thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars at auctions. So, search your parent’s collection; you may find some rare gems beneath. Moreover, see our list of rare vinyl records.
Most Valuable Vinyl Records
Aphex Twin: Caustic Window (1996)
This is electronic music pioneer Aphex Twin’s album ‘Caustic Window’; it is prominent in our list of valuable records. The album came into the spotlight after a remarkable turn of events. A copy of “Caustic Window” surfaced on Discogs for sale. An electronic music forum called ‘We Are the Music Makers’ started a campaign to purchase and convert albums to digital form. The campaign succeeded, which led to the album purchase for $46,300. Now, it is among the most valuable records in existence.
Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks (1975)
The 1975 album “Blood on the Tracks” is one of Bob Dylan’s greatest albums. Fans of singer-songwriters love it. This album can prove to be highly challenging for record collectors. It boasts Dylan’s finest songs. One copy of the album recently surfaced on eBay and sold for $9,000. This copy especially had Bob Dylan’s signature.
Queen: Hot Space (1982)
It was Queen’s tenth album. The album was released in 1982. It proved to be a divisive foray into disco. The LP had a diamond-in-the-rough collaboration with David Bowie on “Under Pressure.” Regardless of a mixed reception from fans, there are some exquisite moments worth listening to. “Hot Space” received massive criticism. Yet, a surfaced copy of the album sold for $9,998. This copy has the signatures of Queen’s iconic line-up: Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. It is precious for collectors.
Van Halen (1978)
This is the debut album of the legendary rock band Van Halen, titled “Van Halen.” It was released in 1978 and went on to achieve commercial success. More than 10 million copies were sold in America. But all four band members signed a rare copy of the album. Recently, it surfaced on eBay and sold for a hefty $9,999. The original owner personally got autographs from the band.
Jimi Hendrix, Electric Ladyland
Electric Ladyland was a highly anticipated album by Jimi Hendrix. The original cover was controversial, as were many of Hendrix’s artistic exploits. The original cover featured Hendrix surrounded by naked women. Of course, America’s puritanical American culture forced the record label’s need to reshoot. However, vinyl collectors can still find copies of the original album.
Beatles, The White Album
It was nicknamed The White Album because of its pure white sleeve. The album gained immense popularity, too. While Sum’s original copies are still available for purchase in handsome amounts, an original pressing copy is here, too. It was John Lennon’s copy, as rumors say. It was a vinyl copy with the original first serial number. It was auctioned for a staggering $900,000.
The Beatles: Yesterday and Today
Yesterday and Today is the Queen band’s album, released in 1966. It faced a massive backlash from the audience because of its controversial cover. It featured the Fab Four in white lab coats with raw meat dismembered baby dolls scattered around them and was nicknamed ‘The Butcher Album.’ On criticism, limited pressings were quickly pulled from the stores. Then, a cover of different photographs of the band was released. Copies of this album are precious. Any Beatle collector will be willing to pay thousands of dollars for rare pressings. One sealed copy of the record was sold for $125,000 in 2016.
Michael Jackson: Thriller (1982)
Michael Jackson’s Thriller is one of the best-selling albums of all time. It was released in 1982. Many homes may have this album, but don’t get complacent with the thought that it’s not worth much. If you have an original copy of ‘Thriller,’ it can fetch you a few thousand dollars from collectors. However, there is also an exceptional copy. It is verified by PSA and awarded ‘a very good’ condition rating. This copy also bears the signatures of Michael Jackson and the legendary basketball player Michael Jordan. This extraordinary musical memorabilia was sold for $12,999. This shows the value of iconic MTV-era classics.
Stonewall (1976)
Stonewall was an obscure heavy psych-rock group, but their debut album has significance among rare vinyl records. It was released under the label of Tiger Lily, notorious for being a ‘tax scam’ label. Their operations were notorious for cutting and releasing records without royalty payments to the artists or promotion. Despite the dubious business practices of Tiger Lily, each released album has a certain level of collectability. In 2014, Stonewall’s 1976 hard-rock album was in the headlines for being sold at a staggering $14,000 price on eBay. A few copies of the album are believed to be in circulation—the scarcity and steep auction price show how this is a prized possession for vinyl collectors.
Wrapping up
The hunt for rare pressings is an exhilarating and rewarding pursuit. It is like finding a lost treasure in the sea; we often see stuff in TV shows, such as in Netflix’s One Piece season. From thrift stores to eBay stores, vinyl collectors long for rare gems. If you have one, it can pay you a staggering amount.
Our list of rare pressings shows how valuable they could be for collectors. So, start thumbing through crates of old vinyl if you have yet to see a valuable record pop out.