Top 20 Most Valuable Records
The Beatles (The White Album)—The Beatles This 1968 self-titled release from the Beatles is more commonly known as the White Album thanks to its all-white cover. This was the 9th studio release from the Beatles and is as well-known for its psychedelic sound as it is for the rising tension within the band. What’s it worth? In 2015, Ringo Starr sold his personal copy of The Beatles for $790,000—it was the first pressing, featuring the serial number 0000001. Even without that kind of history, early pressings in good condition can fetch $1,000 or more—especially if there's a serial number on the cover or you find the UK version with a misprint that omitted “E.M.I.” on the label.
“My Happiness”—Elvis Presley In 1953, an 18-year-old Elvis Presley paid $4 to record the songs “My Happiness” and “That’s When Your Heartaches Began.” Only one acetate pressing was made that day, making Elvis’ first unreleased recording a one-of-a-kind—and valuable—find. What’s it worth? Jack White bought the test pressing of this record at auction for $300,000. He then re-released the album—the limited edition Record Store Day reissues can fetch up to $50.
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band—The Beatles The Beatles reportedly spent over 400 hours in the studio working on their 8th album, and that work shows in the music’s unique sound. The unique music and colorful cover art make this a favorite of collectors. What’s it worth? A copy signed by all 4 Beatles sold for $290,000, making it one of the single most valuable records ever sold. But even unsigned copies can be collectible—a near mint copy still in the shrink wrap sold for over $6,000 as recently as January 2025.
“That’ll Be the Day/In Spite of All the Danger”—The Quarrymen This 1958 recording featured John Lennon and Paul McCartney before they were the Beatles. Accompanied by Colin Hanton and John “Duff” Lowe, the group recorded a cover of Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be the Day” and an original song, “In Spite of All the Danger,” on a single acetate. What’s it worth? This one-of-a-kind album is owned by Sir Paul McCartney is currently valued at around $250,000.
Double Fantasy—John Lennon & Yoko Ono Recorded in 1980, Double Fantasy marked John Lennon’s first studio recording since 1975 and the last before his death. It was a collaboration between Lennon and his wife, and although it won a Grammy, it’s not considered the best example of Lennon’s musical genius. What’s it worth? John Lennon signed a copy of Double Fantasy for his killer just a few hours before he was murdered. That copy sold for $150,000 in 1999. Unfortunately, copies without that historical significance aren’t worth much, selling for about $30 at the most.
Yesterday & Today—The Beatles In 1966, the Beatles released their album Yesterday & Today with a controversial cover that featured the band draped in raw meat and dismembered dolls. This version was quickly pulled and replaced with a new cover. Most of the existing copies of the Butcher cover were destroyed, and any remaining copies are highly collectible. What’s it worth? A sealed Butcher cover copy in mint condition sold at auction for $125,000 in 2013. But even imperfect copies can sell for $3,000 or more.
“Til There Was You” (10” acetate)—The Beatles In 1962, the Beatles auditioned for Decca Records, and although they didn’t get signed, their manager Brian Epstein got a recording of the audition. He transferred the recordings to records, and in 2016, a copy of the record resurfaced, featuring the songs “Till There Was You” and “Hello Little Girl.” What’s it worth? This one-of-a-kind record sold for £77,500, which was the equivalent of about $105,000 USD in 2016.
“Original Stack O’Lee Blues”—Long Cleve Reed & Little Harvey Hull Believed to be the only copy in existence, avid record collector Joe Bussard found a holy grail copy of “Original Stack O’Lee Blues” by Long Cleve Reed & Little Harvey Hull in a box under someone’s bed. And even though it’s unlikely that anyone will stumble on more of these, Bussard did include the track on a compilation CD he made from his collection in 2002. What’s it worth? No one knows what Bussard paid for the album, but he reportedly turned down an offer of $30,000 for it.
Caustic Window (Test Pressing)—Caustic Window This project from Aphex Twin mastermind Richard James was recorded 20 years before it was released. Fans started a Kickstarter campaign to get digital copies of the previously unheard songs, which were eventually released online. But a rare test pressing of the LP recently surfaced, and collectors jumped on it. What’s it worth? The test press was bought by Minecraft creator Markus “Notch” Persson for $46,000 on eBay in 2014.
“Alcohol and Jake Blues”—Tommy Johnson Only 5 copies were originally recorded of the 78rpm featuring the single “Alcohol and Jake Blues” by the legendary blues singer Tommy Johnson. Only 2 of those original 5 copies are known to have survived to the present day. What’s it worth? One of the 2 copies of this record sold at auction for $37,100 in 2013.
“Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)”—Frank Wilson Frank Wilson recorded this single in 1965, but after he told Motown music exec Berry Gordy that he wanted to pursue producing instead of singing, most of the copies of this record were destroyed. Only two copies are known to have survived. What’s it worth? Today, a copy of this ultra-rare soul single is worth about $37,000.
The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (Withdrawn Version)—Bob Dylan The original pressing of this 1963 Bob Dylan album featured 4 tracks that weren’t included on the final release. The official album features 4 new tracks to replace “Rocks and Gravel,” “Let Me Die in My Footsteps,” “Gamblin’ Willie’s Dead Man’s Hand,” and “Talkin’ John Birch Blues.” What’s it worth? In 2022, an original pressing of Freewheelin’ copy sold for $150,000.
Music for Supermarkets—Jean Michel Jarre Only one record was pressed of Jean Michel Jarre’s 1983 recording Musique Pour Supermarche (Music for Supermarkets). That record was auctioned off, then Jarre publicly burned the master tapes and plates—forever ensuring that there would only be one copy. What’s it worth? Today, the original copy of Music for Supermarkets is valued at about $33,500.
Choose Your Weapon—Scaramanga Silk In 2021, a single by breakbeat DJ Scaramanga Silk broke the record for the most expensive album sold on the vinyl collecting site Discogs. But because the DJ was relatively unknown at the time, some collectors speculate whether the sale might have been a promotional stunt. What's it worth? In 2020, one copy of “Choose Your Weapon” sold for an astonishing $37,974, but the same version sold for just $190 in 2022.
“All Tomorrow’s Parties”—The Velvet Underground & Nico The original picture sleeve to the Velvet Underground single “All Tomorrow’s Parties” wasn’t released commercially. While copies do occasionally turn up, they’re extremely rare and highly valuable to collectors. What's it worth? A promo 7-inch copy of the single with the picture sleeve sold for $30,000 on Discogs in 2024.
The Velvet Underground & Nico—The Velvet Underground & Nico This self-titled album featured iconic cover art by Andy Warhol—a banana sticker that could be peeled back. Originally, the back cover pictured the torso of actor Erik Emerson hanging upside-down, but after Emerson brought a suit against the band, later editions featured either a black sticker or had Emerson airbrushed out of the picture. What's it worth? A single-sided test pressing of this album with a blank sleeve is reportedly valued at $25,000. But albums with the banana sticker still intact can still bring $2,000 or more, especially if it’s an early version with Emerson’s torso.
The Black Album—Prince Prince recorded The Black Album in 1987, but ultimately decided not to record it because he felt like it channeled a dark, angry energy. He ordered all of the copies to be destroyed. But one copy was saved—an instant, one-of-a-kind grail item. What’s it worth? The one original uncirculated LP sold for $25,000, and a promo version that was distributed to radio stations sold for $20,000.
“God Save the Queen” (Canceled Single)—The Sex Pistols 30,000 copies of the single “God Save the Queen” were recorded after the Sex Pistols signed with A&M Records. But the punk band lasted less than a week on the record label, and most copies were destroyed. The few surviving copies of this iconic punk single are highly collectible. What’s it worth? Today, original copies of the canceled single are worth up to $20,000.
Soft Sexy Soul—Susan Phillips Only a few copies of this soul album were ever pressed for its release on Silvia Robinson’s label in 1971. Not much is known about the singer, and the combination of the mystique about Phillips, her silky voice, and the rarity of the album make this a highly sought-after record. What’s it worth? An original copy sold on Discogs for $20,000 in 2024.
Mozart À Paris (1763–1778)—Mozart This box set was produced in 1956 to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mozart’s birth. It contains 7 mono LPs, each featuring brilliant performances of Mozart’s compositions. What’s it worth? The price for a full set starts at nearly $2,000, and a near mint copy recently sold for over $19,000.
How do I find out what my records are worth?
The best way to know the value is to research similar albums online. Pay attention to all of the things that affect the value—the edition, condition, special markings, and any additional media that would have been included in the original album, like posters or stickers. Then, look up the album online. Check what the same version in similar condition is selling for (not just what it’s listed for) to get an idea of what someone might pay for yours. Look near the center of your album to find the matrix numbers and pressing stamps—these are unique identifiers, and sometimes they’re the only way to tell the difference between an original album and a re-issue.
What makes a record valuable?
Collectibility The value of an album is based entirely off what someone is willing to pay for it, so for an album to be valuable, it has to appeal to collectors. To check how collectible an item is, check online listings—if there are a lot of unsold listings, the market for that record might not be strong right now. Sometimes, collectible records are albums that were popular on their release, like much of the Beatles’ work—but often, it’s albums that became cult favorites and are now hard to find.
Rarity Hunting for rare albums is part of the fun of collecting. If a record was only released in limited quantities or there are only a few surviving copies, chances are, it will be more valuable than a record that was produced in mass quantities. Sometimes this will mean that only a certain version of an album is valuable—like a mono vs. stereo pressing or those featuring unique errors, redacted images, or unique songs, for instance.
Cover art Unique, interesting, or controversial cover art can often make an album more valuable. This is especially true if the cover art is rare, like if it was replaced later with another version. The Beatles’ Butcher cover is a great example of this, but even less controversial album covers can boost the value, like the rare picture sleeve on “All Tomorrow’s Parties” by The Velvet Underground & Nico.
Condition Just like in most collecting, condition is extremely important in record collecting. Any signs of wear and tear can decrease the value, including worn corners, split seams, writing on the cover, and missing elements. One common sign of wear on albums is ring-shaped fading on the cover caused by the record itself. If your album is missing posters, stickers, or other inserts, it will typically be worth less than a complete version.
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