Vinyl is a medium that is not used any longer. If a signer today goes gold/platinum/whatever they are not even printed a gold/platinum vinyl record, but compact discs(lame, I know).
Being a medium that is unused, they are expensive to make and mass produce. Beyond that, when they are "mass produced" they are done so in small numbers, so that only the GURUs/oficienados scoop them up and charge a premium for them If they ever sell them.
- The Quarrymen – "That'll Be the Day"/"In Spite Of All The Danger" (UK 78 RPM, Acetate
in plain sleeve, 1958) Only one copy made. Copy always owned by Paul
McCartney and never offered for sale. Record Collector magazine lists
guide price at $180,000. Others have valued it closer to $200,000. [1]
- John Lennon & Yoko Ono – "Double Fantasy" (Geffen US Album, 1980) Autographed by Lennon five hours before Mark David Chapman murdered him. Sold in 1999 for $150,000.[2]
- The Beatles – Yesterday and Today (Capitol, US Album in ‘butcher’ sleeve, 1966) $47,500 for mint "first state" stereo copies.[3] Other pressings/states are also available, in both mono and stereo with prices ranging from $150–$10,000[4]
- Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (CBS, US album, stereo 1963 featuring 4 tracks deleted from subsequent releases) $35,000[4]
- Long Cleve Reed & Little Harvey Hull – "Original Stack O’Lee Blues" (Black Patti, US 78 RPM in plain sleeve, 1927) $30,000 offered to Joe Bussard.[5]
- Frank Wilson – "Do I Love You?" (SOUL#35019, US 7” 45 RPM in plain sleeve, 1966) one of two known copies fetched over £25,000 (approx. $37,000) in May 2009[6]
- Velvet Underground & Nico – The Velvet Underground & Nico
(US Album Acetate, in plain sleeve, 1966 with alternate versions of
tracks from official release) Estimate $40,000+ Sold on eBay, December
9, 2006 for $155,401. However bids were fake and record was relisted.
Final selling price was $25,200.[7]
- John Lennon & Yoko Ono – "Wedding Album"
- USA Capitol LP Acetate with hand written sleeve notes, 1969 and
offered for $25,000 at Forevervinyl.com. Recent find and possibly the
only Acetate available of this record. Over 40 years old.[8]
- Elvis Presley – "Stay Away, Joe"
(US, RCA Victor UNRM-9408, 1967) Single- sided promotional album of
which only one well-publicized copy is known to exist, and it came
directly from Presley's personal collection. [9]
- The Five Sharps – "Stormy Weather" (US, Jubilee 5104, 78 RPM, 1953) $25,000 offered to David Hall of Good Rockin' Tonight [10]
- The Hornets – "I Can't Believe" (US, States 127, 78 RPM, 1953) $25,000 [11]
- Sex Pistols – "God Save the Queen" (UK A&M 7” 45 RPM with mailer, 1977) $22,000[7]
- Bach, Cello Suites, Andre Levy, French Lumen 3.447-449, signed by Levy on all three records, $20,000. [12]
- Blind Joe Reynolds – "99 Blues" (Paramount, 78 RPM 192?) $20,000
- The Quarrymen – "That’ll Be The Day"/"In Spite Of All The Danger" (UK 10” 78 RPM and 7” 45 RPM, in reproduction Parlophone sleeve, 1981 reissue, 25 copies of each) $18,000 [1]
- The Beatles – The Beatles (Parlophone UK album, 1968, numbered below 000010, black inner with poster and four colour prints) $18,000 [1] A copy numberd 000005 sold on eBay for £19,200 British pounds sterling (over US$27,000). [4]
- Bob Dylan – The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (As #4 but mono version) $16,500
- Billy Ward & His Dominoes (Federal, 295-94, US 10” album, 1954) sold at Good Rockin' Tonight's August 4-5, 1999 'Ultra Rarities' auction for $24,200.[13]
- Charlie Patton – "Screamin’ and Hollerin’" (US 78 RPM) $11,550
- Judy Garland – Two unreleased acetates from March 1935, $22,500 bid for the pair, failed to meet reserve. [14]
- Elvis Presley – "That's All Right" (Sun#209 Records, US 7", 45 RPM, 1954)[7]
- Mozart á Paris (Conducted Fernand Oudabrous) – (Pathe France, 7 Album box set, 1956) $11,300 (eBay, April 3, 2007) [7]
- John’s Children – "Midsummer Night Scene" (Track, UK 7” 45RPM, 1967) $11,000 [7]
- Willie Brown – "Future Blues" (US, 78 RPM, 1930) $10,200 [7]
- The Beatles – The Beatles (Decca, 1968 Contract export pressing) $9,800 [7]
- Basco Vs The Electroliners – ""The Beat Is Over" (Sm:)e US 10” red vinyl 45RPM, 1996) $9,400
- The Beatles – "Please Please Me" (Parlophone, UK 7” 45 RPM, 1963 signed by all four members of the band) $9,500 [7]
- Billy Barrix – "COOL OFF BABY" (Chess#1662) Only three known copies exist on 45RPM, 1958. Last Copy Sold For $15,000 On Ebay.
