Not once did people think that vinyl records would make a comeback, but here we are. At this point in time, many younger people have developed an interest in them. The general rule is that your record will be worth more money if it is rare. Consider yourself very lucky if you ever find these records in your home because you are about to get a little, maybe a lot, richer.
If You Own Any Of These Vinyl Records, Consider Yourself A Very Lucky Person!
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (1969)
The band released its self-titled debut album that had both original songs and covers. It had a rendition of “Dazed and Confused” with it, among others. It got mixed reviews, with Rolling Stone calling Robert Plant “as foppish as Rod Stewart, but nowhere near so exciting.” It did very well when it comes to sales and the same magazine dubbed it the 29th greatest album of all time as of 2003. The UK release had the name of the band in turquoise instead of orange, so you can sell it for $1k!
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (1969)
Miles Davis, Kind of Blue (1959)
Anyone who is even mildly interested in jazz will know that Miles Davis changed the genre. Some Kind of Blue is the most valuable of all his records. It featured other important jazz musicians such as Bill Evans, Jimmy Cobb, John Coltrane, Wynton Kelly, Cannonball Adderley, and Paul Chambers. Critics generally agree that it is his best record! You can get $1,000 for a copy of the original pressing.
Miles Davis, Kind of Blue (1959)
The Who, The Who Sell Out (1967)
The Who only made one thousand copies during the first run. If you want to know what it looks like, we are talking about the half stereo and half mono that had a psychedelic butterfly poster. If you own a copy of this, you can sell it online for $1,100.
The Who, The Who Sell Out (1967)
Nirvana, Bleach (1989)
Nevermind might be more popular than Bleach, but the latter is more valuable. Record collectors will drool over two versions of the album. The original pressing with the distinctive white color is worth about $2,500 since there were only a thousand copies made. Meanwhile, they only made 500 copies during the 3rd pressing. There is a 7” blue record and a 12” red and white vinyl. They are worth $1,100!
Nirvana, Bleach (1989)
XTC — Science Friction (1977)
XTC released “Science Fiction” and “She’s So Square” with a 45 RPM single. It is said that there are only 50 of them in existence! It was later released in 12” form instead. If you want to sell your 7” copy, you can expect to get $2k for it. After all, it was the album that shot the British new wave band to stardom.
XTC — Science Friction (1977)
David Bowie — The Prettiest Star (1973)
We are jealous of anyone who owns a picture-sleeved copy of this 45 RPM single. Bowie performed it over the phone when he proposed to Angela Barnett. Marc Bolan, his competitor for the “The King of Glam” title, plays the guitar on this track. Things soured between them after Bolan’s wife gave Bowie a piece of her mind: “Marc is too good for you, to be playing on this record!” This record is worth $2k!
David Bowie — The Prettiest Star (1973)
ABBA — Hova’s Vittne (1981)
ABBA distributed 200 copies of this promotional version of this single to record companies. “Hova’s Vittne” is on side A, while “Tivedshambo” is on side B. The Swedish band is easily one of the greatest bands ever, which is why we are not surprised to hear that this goes for $3,500.
ABBA — Hova’s Vittne (1981)
The Quarrymen — That’ll Be the Day (1981)
The Quarrymen might not sound familiar, but this was what they used the Beatles before Ringo came into the picture. This record came with Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be The Day” and the original song “In Spite of All the Danger.” Paul reprinted 50 copies and gave it away to his loved ones. We daresay that the original acetate is in the running for the most expensive record, but we won’t know until it is on the market. In the meantime, you can get $3,500 for the reprint if you happen to own one.
The Quarrymen — That’ll Be the Day (1981)
Cherry Five — Cherry Five (1975)
How can you call yourself a classic horror fan if you do not like Cherry Five? Well, you might know them better as Goblin instead. They worked on the OST of Deep Red, Suspiria, Dawn of the Dead. The debut release of the band is rare, which explains its value of $3,500. They only made it big when they changed the band name and started working with Dario Argento.
Cherry Five — Cherry Five (1975)
David Bowie, Diamond Dogs (1974)
We are sure that Guy Peellaert never expected that his Diamond Dogs album cover would be so famous. This version of the release was not meant to come out because the label decided to airbrush the lower half of the dog on the original. A few employees took several copies, however. A copy of this now went for $3,550 online back in 2003. You can probably get it for more money nowadays.
David Bowie, Diamond Dogs (1974)
The Beatles — Abbey Road (1969)
Do you have this version of the classic album by the Beatles? You can make $4k anytime you want by selling it. Check if the copy you have comes with black and yellow label tag for Parlophone Records and the catalog number PPCS 7088. It will mean that you have a rare UK export in your hands! Lucky you.
The Beatles — Abbey Road (1969)
Elvis Presley, That’s All Right (1954)
The King recorded That’s All Right when they were resting in the middle of a studio session for another song. Together with his guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, he jammed to Arthur Crudup’s “That’s All Right, Mama.” Upon hearing them, Sam Phillips started recording it. On the B-side of this album would be “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” A mint copy of this goes for $4k.
Elvis Presley, That’s All Right (1954)
The Thirteenth Floor Elevators — Reverbaration (Doubt) (1966)
Reverberation is an early recording by the Thirteenth Floor Elevators that goes for $4k. It has “You’re Gonna Miss Me”, “Fire Engine”, “Tried to Hide”, and “Reverberation (Doubt).” The act became very big and practically invented psychedelic rock. Sadly, the band did not stay together for long and only ended up making four studio albums. Roky Erickson, the guitarist, suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. After he got treatment, the band reunited in 2015. Sadly, he died not long after this on May 31, 2019.
The Thirteenth Floor Elevators — Reverberation (Doubt) (1966)
The Beatles, Please Please Me (1963)
The band did not have much time when they worked on this album. In fact, they only had four songs as the deadline crept by. This is how they ended up recording seven songs in only 9 hours and 45 minutes. If you always wondered why John Lennon had such a raspy voice in “Twist and Shout”, you should know that he had a cold back then. If you have a copy of the first pressing, it is now worth a cool $4,200.
The Beatles, Please Please Me (1963)
Depeche Mode, Music for the Masses
This album is valuable thanks to the cover art. The original UK version of the album came with a graphic of the white speaker set against an orange background. They later decided to go with a photo of the loudspeaker in the desert instead. The label accidentally shipped out a few of the original by mistake. If you got lucky and got one of those, you can make $4,600 in no time at all.
Depeche Mode, Music for the Masses
Misfits, Legacy of Brutality (1985)
Misfits only created 16 copies of this during the second run. The compilation album was later pressed, overdubbed, and produced by Glen Danzig after he left the band. The instrumentals were overdubbed in an effort to avoid paying royalties to his old bandmates, although a legal battle still ensued. A mint copy of this version of the record now goes for $5k.
Misfits, Legacy of Brutality (1985)
Elvis Presley — Speedway (1968)
Elvis had been nearing his final acting days when he starred in Speedway. Critics did not have kind words for this project, and it was a commercial flop as well. At any rate, the movie soundtrack still goes for a huge sum of money. You can make $5k if you get a mint copy of the recording with the shrink wrap and red sticker on it. The reason behind its value would be the fact that they only had 300 copies made!
Elvis Presley — Speedway (1968)
Brute Force — King of Fuh (1969)
The Beatles’ Apple Recordings released this album after it was ignored by Capitol and EMI. King of Fuh had obscene lyrics, which almost prevents its release. In 2010, it finally got a proper release date. It took nearly 40 years for it to happen. If you want to make $5k, you better have a copy of the original release.
Brute Force — King of Fuh (1969)
Elton John — I’ve Been Loving You (1968)
Elton John made his debut with this album. He gave the lyric credit to Bernie Taupin, although he later revealed that he was the one who wrote them. He only gave it to his collaborator to help with his publishing royalties. The rare single is at its most valuable if you have the Portugal exclusive. It is the one that comes with “Thank You for All Your Loving” and “Angel Tree.” It is now worth $5k.
Elton John — I’ve Been Loving You (1968)
Bruce Springsteen, Spirit in the Night (1973)
It is very rare to find a copy of the original pressing of this single, the very first one by the Boss. You can get hundreds of bucks for the promotional copies, but an original pressing can go for $5k! Whoa. Bruce Springsteen recorded “Spirit in the Night” for his full-length album Greetings from Ashbury Park.
Bruce Springsteen, Spirit in the Night (1973)
Century Symphony Orchestra, Waltzes by Johann Strauss, Jr. (1956)
This might come as a surprise if you are not a fan of classical music! It is not uncommon for record companies to ask for the help of emerging artists when it comes to classical and jazz album covers. When this album was in the works, Andy Warhol had been just another starving artist. It is said that there are only 7 copies of this. In 2012, one of them was sold for $5,500.
Century Symphony Orchestra, Waltzes by Johann Strauss, Jr. (1956)
Max Steiner, The Caine Mutiny
The album is half soundtrack and half dialogue. However, B-side had a verbatim recording of one scene from the novel of Herman Wouk, who threatened to sue. Columbia swore to destroy the copies of the album, but employees got their hands on a couple of copies. In 2007, one of them was sold for $6,700.
Max Steiner, The Caine Mutiny
Sex Pistols, God Save the Queen (1977)
They made 25,000 copies of this single, although A&M eventually ordered their destruction. Only 10 of those are believed to have survived. The label decided to drop the Sex Pistols after Sid Vicious ruined a toilet at their HQ and Johnny Rotten threatened and hurled insults at executives. They dropped the punk icons and destroyed the copies of the single. If you find one with the A&M label, it can go for $8,600!
Sex Pistols, God Save the Queen (1977)
U2, Pride (In the name of love) (1984)
Rumors say that there are only 50 copies of the Australian edition on translucent vinyl. However, only a few of these have resurfaced. Did you know that Bono was not satisfied with the lyrics? However, his bandmates Brian Eno and the Edge told him it was better to keep them vague to appeal to non-English listeners. If you have a copy of the 12” single, you can make as much as $9k. Whoa.
U2, Pride (In the name of love) (1984)
Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Xanadu (1980)
Often called one of the worst films ever made, the promotional picture disc of Xanadu is nonetheless valuable. It turns out that Olivia Newton-John hated how she looked in this photo. In fact, she disliked it enough to ask them to stop the pressing. Merely 20 to 30 records of this have survived. If you were lucky enough to find one of them, you can make $9,100 in no time!
Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Xanadu (1980)
Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568 (1957)
Jazz fans will be happy to hear that another record from the genre has made it to our list. In 1957, they created about 300 to 1,000 copies of the record. The story goes that Blue Note suddenly ran out of labels during the printing. This is why some copies say “47 West 63rd NYC” and not “47 West 63rd New York 23.” The latter went for $11,162 in 2015, so you can expect the former to be even more valuable.
Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568 (1957)
Robert Johnson, Me and the Devil Blues (1938)
This 78 RPM platter comes has “Me and the Devil Blues” on side A and then “Little Queen of Spades” on side B. If you have it in excellent condition, you can make as much as $12k! Whoa. This musician allegedly saw the devil at the crossroads of Highway 1 and 8 then sold his soul for guitar-playing skills.
Robert Johnson, Me and the Devil Blues (1938)
The White Stripes, Lafayette Blues (1998)
The White Stripes only created 15 copies of this one, and Dave Buick even hand-painted the album covers of each one. You will find “Lafayette Blues” on side A, and then “Sugar Never Tasted So Good” on side B. Created for a record release show in Detroit back in 1998, it only cost $6 then but $12,700 now!
The White Stripes, Lafayette Blues (1998)
Stonewall, Stonewall (1976)
If you have never heard of the ‘70s psychedelic hard rock band in the past, don’t worry. The band did not even know that this got released! The record label that released it was called Tiger Lily, which was only a tax scam by the mob. They pressed records and then wrote them off as unsold to keep the parent label “Roulette” afloat. It somehow got out and became a cult classic. It is now worth $14k!
Stonewall, Stonewall (1976)
Röyksopp, Melody A.M. (2001)
This was the Norwegian electronic act’s debut record. It was a hit among the critics and listeners, selling over a million copies. They became huge in the U.S. after “Remind Me” was used by Geico for a commercial. This pressing of 100 copies came with a Banksy stencil, which makes it even more valuable than usual. One of these can make you richer by $14,204. Sweet.
Röyksopp, Melody A.M. (2001)
The Beatles, Yesterday and Today (1966)
Can you believe that the original cover for this shows the Beatles in butcher clothes? They also held headless baby dolls and had raw meat strewn across their laps. We don’t know what they were thinking but are not surprised to hear that people did not like it. Capital Records even spent $250k to buy back the 750k copies that they distributed, but they failed to get them all. A copy now goes for $15,300!
The Beatles, Yesterday and Today (1966)
The Rolling Stones, Street Fighting Man (1968)
This album also had a controversial cover but for a different reason. Its original artwork had policemen ignoring a wounded protestor. It also had the album title and band name in big block letters. However, the 1968 Democratic National Convention riot took place before it was released, so they destroyed these copies and used a different cover art. They failed to get 18 copies, and they are now worth $17k.
The Rolling Stones, Street Fighting Man (1968)
The Five Sharps, Stormy Weather (1952)
Pawn Stars fans might already know how valuable this is. On the show, a collector tried selling the 78 RPM disc to Rick for $25k. The reality TV show star thought that was too steep since it was not even in mint condition. However, this is a very rare record. Another copy went for $20k.
The Five Sharps, Stormy Weather (1952)
The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
On Discogs, the first pressings of this debut album in mono are priced at $2,799 apiece. Historians cite this as a big influence on punk rock. A Canadian collector found a copy that did not have the Warhol artwork and paid 75 cents for it. This was not your regular copy since it was a test copy that only had the early versions of the songs. In the end, the collector made $25,200 after putting it up for sale online.
The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
Frank Wilson, Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
Not long after recording “Do I Love You” and “Sweeter As the Days Go By”, Frank Wilson started to write songs for other artists. He did this under the suggestion of Motown founder Berry Gordy, who then had the pressings destroyed. Luckily, two copies survived. Simon Soussan found one of them, bootlegged it, and then released it under Eddie Foster. It went on to be a hit. In 2009, one copy was sold for $34k.
Frank Wilson, Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
Bob Dylan, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963)
There are times when errors will increase the value of an object. A few songs were meant to be replaced before the release, but some copies got pressed anyway. If your copy comes with a serial number that ends in -1A, it will have “Let Me Die In My Footsteps”, “Gamblin’ Willie’s Dead Man’s Hand”, “Rocks and Gravel”, and “Talkin’ John Birch Blues” instead of the official lineup. You can make $35k by selling it!
Bob Dylan, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963)
Tommy Johnson, Alcohol And Jake Blues (1930)
A man from North Carolina got this rare 78 RPM disc from an estate sale. When he put it up for auction on eBay, the final bid had been $37,100. Whoa. It is said that there are just 2 copies of this. Tommy Johnson is believed to have sold his soul to the devil for the mastery of the guitar. Could this be true?
Tommy Johnson, Alcohol And Jake Blues (1930)
Prince, The Black Album
After recording The Black Album, also known as “The Funk Bible”, and making 500,000 copies, Prince asked for a recall. He said he got an epiphany and learned that it was an “evil” record. However, promo copies were already going around. It also got bootlegged and played on the radios. He later had a change of heart and released it in CD form in 1994. In 2018, an unopened and original American version went for $42,300. An unsealed Canadian pressing, meanwhile, went for $27,500.
Prince, The Black Album
Aphex Twin aka Caustic Window, Caustic Window
Richard D. James also goes by Aphex Twin, although he used the alias “Caustic Window” for this. He made 5 copies before abandoning the small project. A copy made it out and went up on sale on Discogs for $13,500 in 2014. Together with Doctors Without Borders and Rephlex Records, he bought it and then went on Kickstarter to raise funds for a digital release. They made $47k and then split it between them.
Aphex Twin aka Caustic Window, Caustic Window
The Beatles, The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (1968)
We’ve seen the Beatles many times on this list, but how can we not mention this one? The ninth album is also thought to be the best. People thought that John Lennon had the first pressing, the one with the “A0000001” serial number. In reality, it was with Ringo Starr for 35 years before it was auctioned off for $790k. It is even more impressive to hear that the proceeds went to the Lotus Foundation! Low serial numbers will also fetch you a fortune.
The Beatles, The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (1968)
Steel City Connection, Dansation/Steel City Disco (1978)
This vinyl goes for $885, give or take. If you bought a copy of it in 1978, you can make a huge profit by selling it now. The songs on the album were big hits, which explains why its value has skyrocketed so much over the past couple of decades since its release.
Steel City Connection, Dansation/Steel City Disco (1978)
Thrillers/Delta Cats, Last Dance/Unworthy Baby (1968)
Released by Blue Cat Records in 1968, this album is now worth $1k for each copy. That is not bad at all! Thrillers and Delta Cats are UK groups with a pretty big fan base from all over the globe. That is quite the feat, isn’t it?
Thrillers/Delta Cats, Last Dance/Unworthy Baby (1968)
Terea, Terea (1977)
The eight-song album used to be worth as much as a normal vinyl, although it is now worth a lot more than that. In this day and age, a copy of it goes for more than $1,700. It is still a bop to this day, so we understand if you are not willing to part with yours despite its value.
Terea, Terea (1977)
Nirvana, Love Buzz/Big Cheese (1988)
Sorry, but there is no way that you have never heard of Nirvana. If you haven’t heard of their music before, don’t forget that we talked about their debut album earlier. They still have a pretty big fan base, so we are not surprised to hear that it goes for more than $3k. It is rare, so you’re in luck if you own it.
Nirvana, Love Buzz/Big Cheese (1988)
World’s Experience Orchestra, The Beginning Of A New Birth (1975)
This soul-jazz album only has two songs on it. The first one is 22 minutes long, while the other has a run time of 14 minutes. This vinyl will let you hear the incredible music of the World’s Experience Orchestra. A copy now goes for $3,500!
World’s Experience Orchestra, The Beginning Of A New Birth (1975)
Tudor Lodge, Tudor Lodge (1971)
The vinyl is worth a pretty penny nowadays. How much is this self-titled release worth? It is valued at $3,540 now. Even though it is not cheap at all, this price is not half-bad for all the great songs on it.
Tudor Lodge, Tudor Lodge (1971)
The Smiths, Hand In Glove/Handsome Devil (1984)
Even though this was only released in 1984, the album had been recorded in February 1983. The vinyl falls into the genre of both British Pop and jangle. If you have a copy of this, you can make $3,500!
The Smiths, Hand In Glove (1984)
Pink Floyd, The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967)
We are sure that you have heard of Pink Floyd in the past. While the musical act is no longer as popular as it used to be, the album took them three months to record. It was released sometime in May 1967.
Pink Floyd, The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967)
Nicholas Greenwood, Cold Cuts (1972)
This album comes with 10 songs, and they have all been described positively. Critics used the word “unpredictable”, which is not necessarily a bad thing! If you have a copy, you can make $3,500 for it.
Nicholas Greenwood, Cold Cuts (1972)
Charlie Parker, Bird Blows The Blues (1949)
This album comes with a total of 13 songs, six songs on side A and seven on side B. The album falls under the jazz genre but comes with a boppy vibe. You can put your copy up for sale for around $3,540.
Charlie Parker, The Bird Blows The Blues (1949)
U2, Three (1979)
Recorded in August 1979, this U2 album was first released in Ireland only a month later. There are only three songs on this, and they were all below four minutes long. You can sell a copy for about $3,500.
U2, Three (1979)
Sun Ra, Supersonic Jazz (1956)
SuperSonic Jazz is a 1956 album by Sun Ra and funded by RCA Studios. It was the first album Saturn Records released and one of three albums that Sun Ra worked on in the ‘50s. The album came out on July 12, 1956. You can sell your very own copy for around $4,425.
Sun Ra Supersonic Jazz (1956)
Madonna, Erotica (1992)
Even though this is not quite as old as the other entries here, it still deserves a spot on the list. We are sure that a lot of people will agree with us on that one. The album is already a classic by now. Are you aware that you can sell your copy of this for $4,425?
Madonna, Erotica (1992)
Michael Garrick Trio, Moonscape (1964)
Released by Airborne in 1964, this is a jazz album with six tracks on it. The band made more albums after this, but this is their best-known album. When you are ready to sell your copy of this iconic album, you can expect to make about $5,310 for it.
Michael Garrick Trio, Moonscape (1964)
Genesis, The Silent Sun/That’s Me! (1980)
The classic rock album comes with a total of 11 songs. Five of them were on Track A and the six of them were on Track B. Genesis has established itself for its ability to dabble in a number of music styles. They have previously worked in the genres of prog rock, art rock, and psychedelic rock. A copy now goes for $5,300.
Genesis, The Silent Sun/That’s Me! (1980)