Most people might think that vinyl records were extinct and that the younger generation doesn’t know a lot about them. But the renewed interest of the younger generation in vinyl records is somewhat unbelievable. Today, if you have old vinyl records stored somewhere in your garage, check this list. Who knows, you might make a good amount of money from them. So, let's get started - scroll down to discover what vinyl record worth the most money.
15. Hank Mobley, Blue Note 1568 (1957)
It is estimated that there were about 300 to 1,000 copies of this record. What makes it special is a story that when the famed jazz record label Blue Note was printing the record it ran out of labels. In 2015, the standard label that had the address listed as "47 West 63rd NYC" was sold for $11,162 on eBay. It is believed that the other version that said "47 West 63rd New York 23" must be worth more than the standard one.
14. Robert Johnson, Me and the Devil Blues (1938)
This 78 RPM platter could be worth up to $12,000 as it features “Me and the Devil Blues” on side A and “Little Queen of Spades” on side B. The song on side A tells the story who wakes up when Satan knocks on his door.
13. The White Stripes, Lafayette Blues (1998)
With only 15 copies of the record, the album features the songs “Lafayette Blues” on side A, and “Sugar Never Tasted So Good” on side B. If you have the record stored somewhere, then congratulations because you are sitting on about $12,700.
12. Stonewall, Stonewall (1976)
There is a high possibility that you haven't heard of this obscure band. It is because they were never signed to a record label and their only release was pressed without their knowledge. Unfortunately, the release (Tiger Lily) was handled by a record label that was a scam. However, some of the release of the record label achieved a cult following over the years. This record will be worth around $14,000 if you find the right collector.
11. Röyksopp, Melody A.M. (2001)
The debut record of Norwegian electronic duo was a huge success as it sold over 1 million copies. That's why the pressing of the record is quite valuable. The only 100 of these limited edition copies were hand-spray painted by elusive street artist Banksy. So, that explains why they are listed as high as $14,204 on Discogs.
10. The Beatles, Yesterday and Today (1966)
This record is famous for another reason. It is because it featured a photo of fab four in which they were dressed in butcher's attire and holding headless baby dolls. And it doesn't end here; there was raw meat strewn across the laps of baby dolls. As expected, the cover wasn’t well received and the Capital Records had to buy back the 750,000 records by paying $250,000. However, they couldn’t get their hands on some records. If you have one of those copies, you are sitting on $15,300.
9. The Rolling Stones, Street Fighting Man (1968)
This valuable album was self-censored by the record label because the album featured a photo of unconcerned police officers standing over an injured protester. The record label destroyed all the copies and only 18 records survived. In 2011, one of those records was auctioned off for $17,000.
8. The Five Sharps, Stormy Weather (1952)
This record is considered extremely rare. It is believed that only three copies of Stormy Weather exist. If you have this copy in your basement or somewhere hidden, you should know that it could go as high as $20,000.
7. The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
According to many historians, this record has an enormous influence on the punk rock genre. One Canadian record collector couldn't believe his luck when he bought a copy for 75 cents at a flea market. He ended up selling it on eBay for $25,200.
6. Frank Wilson, Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
When Motown producer/songwriter Frank Wilson recorded “Do I Love You” and “Sweeter As the Days Go By,” he agreed with Mowtown founder, Berry Gordy, that it'd be best if he’d work behind the scenes. So, Gordy ordered to destroy all the pressings. Luckily two copies survived and one of them was sold in 2009 auction for about $34,000.
5. Bob Dylan, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963)
There is an interesting story behind this record. So before the release, a few tracks were meant to be replaced. It was a simple task, but the pressing plant didn’t get the memo and wrong songs were pressed on a few copies. It is believed that there are less than 20 mono copies of the record and only two stereo copies. The record could fetch $35,000 or more.
4. Tommy Johnson, Alcohol And Jake Blues (1930)
A North Carolina seller was extremely lucky when he came into possession of a rare 78 RPM slab. He found it at an estate sale. He sold it on eBay for $37,100. It is believed that these are the only copies of the record that exist - both belong to John Tefteller and the winning bidder.
3. Prince, The Black Album
Prince recorded The Black Album but decided to halt the release and recall all the pressed 500,000 copies. He paid the label to recall the copies because he had an epiphany that his record was "evil." Given that some promotional copies were already in circulation, the singer eventually changed his mind and released a CD version in 1994. In 2018, an original (unopened) pressing sold for $42,300 and if you have an unsealed Canadian version then it is worth $25,700.
2. Aphex Twin aka Caustic Window, Caustic Window
Richard D. James, aka Aphex Twin decided to release his album under the alias "Caustic Window." However, he decided to abandon the project when only five copies were pressed. Luckily, one copy escaped the destruction and appeared in 2014 on Discogs. The asking price was $13,500. The vinyl copy was sold on eBay for $46,300, Minecraft creator Markus Persson bought the lucky copy.
1. The Beatles, The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (1968)
Unsurprisingly, this classic from The Beatles tops our list. This one of a kind album is marked with the serial number “A0000001.” It was kept in a bank vault for almost three-and-a-half decades and was sold during a charity for - wait for it - $790,000.