Vinyl collecting can be an expensive hobby. Collecting expensive vinyl records are for the most dedicated (and richest) collectors out there!
The following records are expensive for various reasons, such as limited pressings, being signed, and some were even unreleased.
Because of that, these records are not for the standard collector, but if you have a few thousand to spend, you could become the new owner of one of these highly valuable records. Here are the most expensive vinyl records ever sold.
20 Most Expensive Vinyl Records
1. Wu-Tang Clan: Once Upon a Time in Shaolin – $2 million
The most expensive vinyl record is Wu-Tang Clan: Once Upon a Time in Shaolin which sold for $2 million! The reason for this record’s price was due to the fact that only one copy was ever made.
In fact, it even came with a contract restricting the owner from selling or profiting from the record for 100 years, so buying this album is truly an investment.
2. The Beatles: The Beatles (White Album) – $790,000
This vinyl record was the first copy of the band’s self-titled album, owned by member Ringo Starr for years before auctioning it off for $790,000 in 2015.
3. Elvis Presley: My Happiness – $300,000
This Elvis Presley album is the third most expensive vinyl record on this list. This vinyl record was Elvis’ first recording and was actually a test pressing, not an officially sold vinyl.
It was sold in 2015 for $300,000 to Jack White, owner of the record label Third Man Records.
4. The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – $290,000
This is one of the most expensive Beatles vinyl records out there. This vinyl record sold for $290,000 at an auction in 2013.
Not only was it a sought after version of the record, but it was also signed by all four members of the Beatles.
5. John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy – $150,000
This is one of the most valuable John Lennon & Yoko Ono vinyl records. This copy of the album was signed by Lennon the same day he died, December 8th, 1980.
It was then sold in 1999 for £118,000, or roughly $150,000.
6. Frank Wilson: Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) – $130,000
Supposedly only five copies of this single exist after its 250 pressings were destroyed by Motown boss Berry Gordy. The copies that managed to survive are now worth thousands, as demonstrated when one sold for $130,000.
7. The Beatles: Yesterday & Today – $125,000
This is another expensive Beatles vinyl record. The reason why this record sold for so much was due to its cover. The original album cover controversially featured the members of the band posing with dismembered dolls and raw meat.
The cover was replaced, and the original remains extremely expensive, with a sealed copy selling for $125,000 in 2013.
8. The Beatles: Till There Was You – $95,000
This record is said to be the holy grail of Beatles records due to it being a demo featuring the handwriting of their manager Brian Epstein. It sold for £77,500, or roughly $95,000 in 2016.
9. Rick Saucedo: Heaven Was Blue- $80,000
This album only had 300 hand-numbered copies upon its original run on a private press, meaning its first version is extremely rare. One copy was said to have sold for $80,000 at an auction.
10. Aphex Twin: Caustic Window – $46,300
This particular record was a test pressing of an unreleased album by Aphex Twin called Caustic Window. It ended up selling for $46,300 in 2014.
11. Timi Yuro: It’ll Never Be Over For Me- $44,000
This rare, original pressing from the 1960’s may only be a single, but it is worth thousands, selling for nearly $44,000 in May of 2016.
12. Scaramanga Silk: Choose Your Weapon- $41,095
The obscure record surprised everyone when it sold for over $41,000 in 2021.
Even the artist Scaramanaga Silk, commented on the sale “It is very difficult to understand why the release went for that kind of money, as I do not believe that any record is worthy of such a valuation.”
13. Tommy Johnson: Alcohol and Jake Blues – $37,100
The original pressing of this record is extremely valuable because it is not only very rare, but also very old, as it was released in 1930. Because of that, original copies sell well, with one coming in at over $37,000 in 2013.
14. Motley Crue: Too Fast For Love (Leathür Records Version)- $33,700
The Leathür Records version of this album is the original, and has a different production and sound than the reissue, causing it to be harder to find and more of a collector’s item.
Today, original sealed copies can be very pricey, with some selling for over $33,000.
15. Prince: The Black Album- $27,500
Prince changed his mind about releasing this album at the last minute, and bought out 500,000 copies in an attempt to destroy them. A few survived, though, and sell for a large price, with one copy going for $27,500 in 2018.
16. Misfits: Legacy of Brutality- $22,300
The second pressing of this album featured a pink variant, only 16 of which were created. This has caused them to become an extreme collector’s item. The price, depending on the record’s condition, can go as high as $22,300.
17. Sex Pistols: God Save The Queen – $20,170
A 7” single pressing of the band’s song “God Save the Queen” by their original label A&M Records is one of the rarest records in the world. A copy, in great condition, was sold in 2019 for £15,652, or roughly $20,170.
18. Ferris Wheel: Supernatural Girl – $15,000
The record was originally made by a private press for the smaller record label Nicro. Because of that, there was a limited quantity.
Today the original pressing is considered one of the most valuable folk records on the market. It has an average sell price of $15,000.
19. Pink Floyd: Ummagumma- $14,000
This copy of Pink Floyd’s Ummagumma is a red variant created for the Japanese promo of the album.
Because most promo copies made for radio stations get worn out and destroyed over time, there are very few existing copies of this variant left. It sold for $13,953 in August 2018.
20. The Can: Monster Movie- $13,950
Only 500 copies of this record were released with the original cover. It was then reissued with different album art, making the original highly sought after. It has sold for $13,950.
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About Elijah Cross
Elijah Cross is a 22-year-old writer in Orange County, California. Originally from Tennessee, he moved to Irvine to pursue a career in media in hopes to become an author. In his free time, he enjoys thrift shopping, record collecting, and occasionally skating.
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