IN a world of streaming it may be shocking to learn that vinyl may actually be where the money is.
A whole new generation of music fans are discovering the world of vinyl cassettes and records so it means that your old collection could be worth a mint to the right buyer.
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The music industry is seeing a shake-up with music giant HMV making a return to our high streets and supermarkets flogging record players.
Online retailer eBay has become a hotspot for owners to make thousands of pounds on rare or limited edition vinyl and records.
One record seller has revealed some of the most expensive vinyl she is selling online.
The owner of The Better Dog Records confessed she has records worth hundreds of pounds and one is so expensive she won’t even let it touch sunlight.
Here are her top five most expensive records.
Slaves/Softplay – Sugar Coated Bitter Truth £179.99
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The first vinyl was released in 2013 to a limited run of 300, so they are hard to come by.
The owner said: “This is a UK 2-piece punk band and they now go by the name Softplay, because they didn’t think Slaves represented them anymore.”
The owner is currently reselling the record for £179.99
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She explained because of the name change and the piece being a limited edition it is “ quite hard to find”.
MC Solar – Prose Combat £199.99
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MC Solar is a French rapper, and the big song on the vinyl is called Obsolete.
The expert said: “This album is rare because it was released in 1994. And this is first pressing, hard to find album.”
The owner has the record listed for £199.99.
Soundtrack to Affair at the Villa – Misha Spoliansky £199.99
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This vinyl is made of acetate which is a rare material mostly used on record from the 1930s to the late 1950s.
The album is also split into three separate records.
The vinyl lover said: “The reason that this is in the top five and it’s expensive is because even with quite a lot of research, we can’t find any information about this soundtrack ever being released.”
The owner confessed she believed the record was one of a kind.
She said: “Pretty sure this is the only version in existence. Probably the only one in the world in my hands. It’s the only one never, ever released.”
This is selling for £199.99.
Though the owner confessed: “I’m not sure if we’ll ever sell it, but it is definitely rare.”
The Art of Soul – Art Mason Jr £299.99
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Art Mason Jr is a rare artist with generally expensive albums that are hard to find.
The owner has the record priced at £299.99.
She warned: “So if you see Art Mason Junior in the charity shop, definitely pick it up. Okay?”
Then the record shop owner revealed the most expensive record she had in her eBay shop.
Queen and Country – Don’t Stop Me Now £1,999.99
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The owner explained she goes to great lengths to keep the record in good condition.
She said: “It is always kept out of direct light in the mailer at the moment is this.”
“I’m only holding the sleeve. The vinyl is still in the mailer.”
The record owner explained the piece was so highly valued due to the cover artwork.
She said: “This image is a Banksy. This is Queen Victoria sitting on somebody’s face and it is one of the last releases to feature Banksy artwork.”
“It’s just very, very rare, generally is sold in art auctions rather than through record dealers.”
If you are interested in dealing with records there are a few things you should look out for.
Some of the most expensive records will have a distinguishing feature, so look out for:
- Rare cover art
- Artists with very few vinyls ever produced
- Signed albums
- Vinyls in near mint condition
- Special or limited edition
So where should you go to look? Record shops and charity shops are always a good starting place.
What should you do if you have a valuable vinyl?
IF you think you’ve got an LP that’s worth a bit extra then you should start by doing your research.
Find out how much your record is worth to a collector by checking the same or similar albums under “sold listings” on eBay.
Compare your LP to other higher-selling auctions and ask yourself if it’s in a similar condition? Is it authentic? Is it still in its original packaging?
If it’s in mint condition then it might be worth selling it through an auction house or directly to a collectables website. If it’s not, it’s probably worth sticking it on eBay for a mo
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