Do You Have To Register An Lp?

Whether you've got some one-time records sitting around the house or you recently scored a few not bad finds at a yard sale, you may be wondering if your LPs have any hidden value. Much like coins or comic books, some old vinyl records may be more valuable than y'all'd think — as long as y'all notice the correct buyer. Join us for a wait into how to discover out what your former LP records are worth, along with the best places to sell them.

As with most collectibles, much of what makes a record valuable comes down to how rare or in-need it is. While yous may own an LP of i of the most popular bands of the 1960s, for instance, this alone may not mean much if there are still plenty of copies of the aforementioned record on the market place.

To see what we hateful, look no further than the most expensive record ever sold. Wu-Tang Clan's Once Upon a Fourth dimension in Shaolin sold at auction for an impressive $2 million. Why? Because it was literally the only copy ever produced. The rarer your LP is, the more money it'south likely to fetch from a collector.

Other examples of types of vinyl records that may be in higher demand include:

The first re-create of a record
First editions or express releases
Copies owned by someone famous or an original band member
Copies signed past deceased band members
Full collections by the same artist or band

Annihilation that makes your tape unique or one of a kind volition likely increment its value. Ringo Starr pulled in $790,000 in 2015 when he auctioned off the commencement copy of The Beatles (the White Album), while Elvis' first-ever test recording sold for $300,000 the aforementioned year. In 2013, a copy of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Solitary Hearts Gild Band went for $290,000 because it had been signed by all four band members.

How to Assess a Record's Value

Not every tape is signed by every single member of a legendary rock group. But that doesn't hateful your tape won't have value in the optics of a potential buyer. While you lot can accept your record appraised past a professional, it may be easier and less expensive to begin your research online.

Kickoff, assess the condition of your record. Check out this guide to the vinyl grading system to get an idea of what shape your LP is in. Unless it's very rare, your record's condition will probable be an important factor when information technology comes to determining its overall value.

Keep in mind that collectibles of any sort rarely accept a set value but are worth whatever someone is willing to pay for them at the time — fair market place value. With that in listen, one of the best ways to become an idea of your record's potential worth is to observe out how much people have paid for other copies of it in the recent past.

But how do you detect out? There are several websites where collectors from around the world gather to catalog, buy and merchandise LPs. These sites are keen resources for determining a record'south going charge per unit, even if you ultimately cull to sell it somewhere else.

Using Online Vinyl Sale Sites equally Pricing Resources

While information technology may be tempting to call up your record is worth $100,000 simply because that's what another seller is currently asking on eBay, don't go excited just notwithstanding. Sellers tin ask for whatever price they desire, but that doesn't mean someone volition pay it. What you should be more interested in is how much someone has already paid for a copy of the record you lot desire to sell.

One option for gauging historical cost activeness is a site called Popsike.com. The goal of Popsike is to provide an annal of completed vinyl auctions, including those on eBay, in order to show what prices each record has fetched in the by. Since its first in 2004, the site has archived the results of over 20 million auctions.

Another not bad source is an active auction site called Discogs. Discogs features a user-built database of millions of records and can help you become a practiced idea of how much your LP is worth with the site's searchable vinyl record toll guide.

If your tape has a barcode, you can employ the complimentary Discogs app to scan it. Otherwise, you tin can use the avant-garde search feature on the website to search based on unlike filters. The 2 that are likely to give you the best friction match are your record's catalog or barcode numbers. Once you've located the correct record, navigate to its statistics section, where yous'll find the everyman, median and highest prices that it's sold for at past Discogs auctions.

How to Sell Your Vinyl LP

When it comes to really selling your tape, much volition depend on what you've discovered most its potential worth. If you want to go the online route, Discogs is still a great site to look into; it puts your tape in front end of millions of collectors around the earth. You can besides get with eBay, which tin can exist convenient if you already have an agile account and neat seller reviews.

Depending on where yous're located, you may also want to bank check out reputable local record shops. If y'all alive in the Los Angeles area, for instance, Amoeba Music has i of the largest selections of music in the earth and is a great place to sell your record — or an entire collection.

If it turns out your record is more valuable, yous may want to become a more specialized road. Check out Omega Auctions, which is "i of the elevation auction houses worldwide for music memorabilia and vinyl records." Omega lets yous submit a valuation for either a unmarried vinyl or an unabridged collection. The auction house is dedicated to helping you notice the best possible cost for your record, but go along in mind that information technology's based in the U.k. and there may exist some upfront shipping costs involved.

If it turns out you have a very valuable or rare vinyl you'd like to sell, information technology may also be worth it to look into top auction houses similar Christie'south or Sotheby's. While both tend to concentrate on fine fine art, they've too auctioned off valuable records in the past. Don't be afraid to become multiple quotes from various sellers to find the 1 that's probable to get you the highest possible toll.