How to Know if you Record Albums Have Value

The acoustics of a record album are like no other, helping vinyl albums to remain popular at estate sales in Tacoma, Seattle and Olympia. As with other vintage items, there is not exact science or formula that can help determine the value of an items, but there are a few tried and true ways to determine whether your vinyl has value.

Condition

The overall condition of an album is one of the most important factors in determining a record’s value. Records were mass produced for the last 60 years, with a majority of those not being taken care of by their owners.

Whether they have been stored in a garage, heavily used, or damaged, collectors are only interested in an album that has maintained is originally integrity – both in sound and aesthetics.

Generally speaking, it is difficult to find a record in good condition that is more than 20 years old, so if you have an older album that’s in good condition seek out an expert who can help you better understand what you have. If you need help finding someone, give us a call. We would be happy to help.

Packaging

Packaging is also a good indication of value – if you have an album in its original packaging, you likely have good thing on your hands.

If you’re on the buying side, be sure it hasn’t been re-sealed. You’ll know if you see any kind of wear on the cover.

Who is the Artist?

It is a very common understanding that more famous artists will demand a good price for their record albums. While less popular artists simply can’t demand a higher price.

Some of the most popular artists include Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Nirvana, the Beatles, Elvis, and Pink Floyd – just to name a few.

The Genre

Artists in the rock, blues, jazz, classical and soul music categories tend to be more collectible than those in the, country, spoken word or comedy categories.

Their Early Work

Demand doesn’t always apply to the popular and well-known albums. For example, an artist like Elvis, whose first five records were produced by the Memphis-based Sun label sold far fewer albums that his later work. His later albums were released by RCA, which are where his more popular work can be found. This makes the Sun versions valuable.

Record collections are fascinating. But there is so much that goes into their value. To get started, check out this great resource from Discogs that helps determine the value of your record. And if you’re ready to sell, give us a call.

And just for fun, check out this article that lists 28 Vinyl Records that are worth a total of $1.9 million!