If you have any of these records, you could be sitting on a gold mine
They could be worth thousands of dollars
They could be worth thousands of dollars
When's the last time you looked at your record collection? In recent years, vinyl has made a serious comeback, which means you may want to dust off those old LPs, or keep an eye out at thrift stores for hidden gems.
"The antiques market seems often heavily influenced by nostalgia and therefore whomever has the buying power at any given time directs the value of collectible items," John Neiheisel, Art & Antique Specialist at , tells CountryLiving.com. "Items that were cherished by the demographic which grew up in the '60s and '70s is at its peak currently, with items like , rock LPs, modern furniture, toys, etc. — all of which are in high demand."
That's right: Your favorite rock record from back in the day could actually be worth something today — if it's an original issue, that is.
"Rock albums are all over the place, but is always highest," Neiheisel explains. "More or less, for anything outside of the top The Beatles albums that's signed by a member or all members of the band, you're talking a major increase in value, especially with some of the most iconic bands, such as The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Grateful Dead, Michael Jackson, etc."
Early and rare jazz pressings also do very well at antiques sales, he says. "In short, the more rare a record is combined with its relevance equals value."
These are the albums (all originals) Neiheisel ranked as most valuable:
1. The Beatles, Yesterday and Today
Value: Original cover, first issue, $20,000-$45,000
2. The Beatles, White Album
Value: Original cover, first issue, $10,000-$20,000
3. Bob Dylan, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Value: Withdrawn varietal (has four songs not contained on subsequent releases), $10,000-$20,000
4. The White Stripes, Lafayette Blues
Value: Single EP (limited release of 15 numbered copies), $4,000-$6,000
5. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin
Value: Aqua lettering variant, $3,000-$5,000
6. Roland Kirk, Triple Threat
Value: $1,000-$5,000
7. David Bowie, Diamond Dogs
Value: $1,000-$5,000
8. The Misfits, Horror Business
Value: $2,000-$4,000
9. Prince, The Black Album
Value: $1,000-$3,000
10. Elvis Presley, Speedway
Value: $1,000-$3,000