What Determines a Record’s Value?

  1. Does someone want to buy it? And if so, how much is he willing to pay?
  2. Does someone want to sell it? And if so, at what price?
If these two criteria are not met, the record has no market value. Once met, however, the record becomes a valuable commodity. You can then determine its “potential value,” or the amount of money your record may be worth.
 
 

Determining the Record’s Maximum Potential Value

Original components

  • 45s, or singles, must be in their original paper sleeves.
  • EPs (3 or more song 45s) must have their hard cardboard sleeves.
  • LPs must have their original jacket.

Scarcity

  • If many people bought a particular record, its value is typically diminished. The fewer copies of a record in circulation, the more valuable it is.
  • Before the Beatles frenzy (pre 1960s), most records were bought in the 45 format. These singles’ corresponding full-length records, that were not frequently purchased, may be more valuable now.
  • Many R&B LPs from the 1950s were poorly distributed, and often only 1000 or so copies of a record were pressed. These rarities can command $1000 or more per copy.
History
Does the record you own (or want to own) fit in a particular era in history? If so, it will have greater value. Some examples are:
  • hillbilly records (roots of country) from the 1930s and 1940s
  • less popular Motown records
  • records from the roots of rock and roll, R&B, or Rockabilly from about 1948 to 1955.
Stereo v. Mono
A stereo recording is sometimes worth much more than a recording in mono. The 1960s saw more mono recordings, so a stereo recording from that decade could produce higher value. However, this is genre-specific; for example, jazz recordings are always produced in stereo. Whether a record is produced in stereo or mono can also depend on the mixes of the record and the size of the print run, too.
 
Your record is a better commodity if it fulfills one or more of these categories and is in excellent condition.
 

TIP: If you have an expensive record collection, consider insuring it. Add a rider to your house insurance or, if you rent, talk to an insurance agent about personal property protection.