Vinyl records, despite new technologies and formats, are still present and are The favorites of collectors and audiophilesAnd beyond its unique sound (the best according to many), there is that retro or vintage touch that excites true fans.
So, if you have a box of vinyl lying around your house, now might be a good time to cash in on them. But before you can offer them, you need to know How much do they pay for vinyl records, how to price them and where to sell them?Below you will find the answers to these questions.
What factors are taken into account when purchasing a vinyl record?
At the time of appraise a vinyl record, you should pay attention to much more than just the specific artist or album. From the condition to the edition or country of origin, there are several aspects to consider. So let's review each one of them:
1. Conservation
The first aspect and undoubtedly one of the most important when evaluating a disc is how well preserved It may be a highly valued and prized edition of a legend, but if it is damaged, little can be asked for it.
Now, what should you look for when evaluating the condition of the disk? Pay attention to these points:
- Presence, number and severity of scratches or scrapes.
- Evidence of impacts, breaks, cracks, etc.
- Presence of deformations in the disk.
- Condition of the inner sleeve of the disc.
- General condition of the cover.
- Presence and condition of additional original material.
If you have the opportunity to evaluate the disc in physical form, excellent. But that will not always be possible, especially when making purchases online. To do this you will have to use what is known as Goldmine StandardThis system assigns a code to each specimen according to its state of conservation:
- Mint (M): Refers to discs that are in such a condition that they appear to have just been released for sale. free of imperfections or defects, immaculate cover, no stickers or elements other than the originals.
- Near Mint (NM): These are specimens in very good condition, with a very light wear which does not affect the sound quality in any way. The cover, for its part, must be in good condition, with very slight signs of wear due to use or the passage of time.
- Excellent (EX or VG++): These are already records that show a wear and tear slightly older, but without affecting its quality. Cover preserved with the printing in perfect condition, although it may have details or wear in the corners.
- Very Good Plus (VG+): At this level, the disc still has its characteristic brightness, but it presents increased wear and surface wear. Cover and dust jacket are clean and in good condition, although with signs of ageing and wear on the spine and seams.
- Very Good (VG): At this level, the discs have a good level of conservationIt doesn't look as neat, but it has a decent sound with very little noise. The cover has signs of use and visible wear on the print, cover, seams and spine.
- Good (G): At this level we already have a disc that It looks dull, used, with the presence of surface noise and loss of dynamics, but without serious errors or skips. For the cover, it will already have large signs of deterioration or elements such as writing, third-party stickers, etc.
2. Year and edition
The next thing you should keep in mind after checking the status of the disk is the edition of the same. In this case you should investigate certain aspects:
- Is this a first edition or a later reissue?
- Is this the original edition?
- Is this a limited special edition?
Likewise you must attend to the lot number and year in which the record was pressed. There are periods in which more records were pressed than in others, which affects the number of copies available and their final value.
3. Additional features
The last aspect to consider when selling or buying vinyl records is the extra features that it has. Here you must evaluate whether you are looking at a unique or one-of-a-kind copy. How? Pay attention to the following:
- Is it a vinyl or acetate record?
- Is this an unofficial recording (Bootleg), a demo or a test?
- Are you from an atypical country (outside Europe or North America)?
- Does it have a dedication, autograph or original additional content?
- Is it a limited edition, with few copies or was it withdrawn from the market?
- Do you have a rare cover or one that has been modified, censored or removed?
- Does it have any peculiar printing or pressing errors that give it a unique character?
If the answer is yes to at least one of these questions, the value of the specimen could skyrocket given its interest for collectors.
How much can you pay for a vinyl record?
This is the question that interests everyone who wants to dedicate themselves to the purchase and sale of these items. But as you can imagine, There is no exact amount or unique, and everything will depend on the factors we mentioned before.
However, what we can do is give you a reference that will help you when valuing a record or knowing how much more or less you can get after the sale. The average price of a standard vinyl collection ranges between 5 and 7 euros per piece. Or, for outstanding specimens in good condition of conservation, we can already speak of double-digit figures.
It may not seem like much, but remember that we are talking about normal, regular editions, with little or no interest beyond the taste for the artist and the format. Things change when it comes to great legends or a very rare copy. In this case, the numbers range from hundreds to tens of thousands of euros per copy.
Where to sell vinyl records?
Of course, you should know where to go when you want to buy or sell vinyl records. You can sell them on your own, but there are specialized sites reputable companies that will make things easier for you. Let's look at some of them:
Discogs
This page, born in 2000, is today one of the larger communities of music fans. It has a constantly updated database in which users contribute their opinions and data about millions of artists, their music and their works.
In his Marketplace, you can offer your records, know the opinion of other sellers, compare prices and more. In addition, the reach of this page is worldwide, so you can It will be easier to find a buyer or get that copy you've been looking for.
Revolver Records
Revolver Records is an excellent choice for music lovers, collectors and enthusiasts. This store has a website where you can take a look at their catalog of records. Here you can find independent releases, little-known artists and even a few gems sought after by collectors.
Both new and second-hand, in this store you will find a wide range of products in a wide variety of formats and presentations. You can visit their physical store located at Tallers Street number 11, and be attended to in person by experts in the field.
List of some of the most valuable vinyl records
The best thing that could happen to you is that, without knowing it, you have among your old records some jewel sought after by collectors. There are many great records, but these stand out for their rarity, their characteristics or for the controversy in which they were involved:
1. The Black Album – Prince
It was close to being released when the artist decided to cancel its release under the belief that it was "malignant". This did not prevent the few promotional copies from selling out quickly. One of these originals can cost up to 40,000 euros if it is in a very good condition.
2. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan
A minor printing detail at the beginning of the production of this disc resulted in little more than 20 copies with a labeling error. These discs, identified by a serial number ending in -1A, can be worth up to 30,000 euros.
3. Yesterday & Today – The Beatles
Only they will know why they chose the call. “butcher's cover”The truth is that it generated rejection and the original copies were withdrawn to print a new cover.
This resulted in the existence of 3 versions: original, original with new cover attached and the new reissue. The first two, showing the original cover, are the ones with great value, reaching up to 25.000 if it is signed.
4. Blue Note 1568 – Hank Mobley
It is estimated that they were made about thousand copies of this issue in 1957. But what makes it special, beyond its artist, is a small printing error on your label. This slight detail in the management of the record company makes the price of these copies rise to 10,000 euros.
5. Lafayette Blues – The Wite Stripes
A special edition was made of this album (only 15 copies) for a special event of the band. It had a hand painted cover, and could only be purchased by those who attended the event held in Detroit in 1998. The price of each of these copies reaches 10,000 euros.
6. God Save the Queen – Sex Pistols
What would end up making this album a collector's item is a controversial history of controversy and disputes between the band and the music label A&M. 25 thousand copies from the first edition Only 10 were saved being destroyed by the company. Given the fame of the group, their music, and the controversy surrounding the album, a copy can be worth up to 8,000 euros.
7. Xanadu – Olivia Newton John
For the release of this album a promotional release was planned with an illustration on the acetate. The problem was that the artist did not like the result and decided to cancel the proposal. Only 31 copies, Each of which can be worth about 8,000 euros.
8. Bleach – Nirvana
The legendary band's debut album is a highly sought-after piece by collectors. The original edition on white vinyl is valued at between $100 and $150. 1,000 and 5,000 euros. The third edition, of so only 500 copies, and with its characteristic 12” red and white and 7” blue vinyl, it can reach the 2,000 euros.
9. Legacy of Brutality – Misfits
We talk about the 2nd edition of the band's compilation album, of which so only 16 copies were printed. Made in 100% by the band's singer after he left the band, this edition with a distinctive pink platter is sought after by collectors and fans. For a copy in good condition the price can rise to around 4,500 euros.
10. I've Been Loving You – Elton John
The original vinyl is already one of the most sought after by this artist. But there is an edition, the one printed in Portugal, which is truly special and highly sought after by collectors. This edition includes two additional songs that are not on the standard version, and its price can be as high as 4,000 euros.