twelfth Aug 2025
Studying Time: 6 minutes
Have you ever ever thought of that you could promote vinyl data or perhaps a full vinyl assortment? Do you occur to to be a music lover and personal an previous vinyl assortment? Did you inherit them or are they merely not of use? It’s possible you’ll not personal a report participant anymore or have moved your total assortment to digital. Make your vinyl assortment be just right for you – it’s time to consider promoting it to a music lover!
Promoting vinyl data may be relatively profitable if you understand how to go about it. You additionally don’t must have a big assortment to make a fairly penny.
Promote Vinyl Data: How A lot Are Your Vinyl Data Value?
Vinyl gross sales noticed a report 20-year excessive final 12 months, with gross sales in 2024 coming to £2.4 BILLION – and it exhibits no signal of slowing down. As individuals each yearn for nostalgia and in addition need to personal bodily media in a digital age, the demand for each new and classic vinyl LPs is on the rise.
Should you assume you may have some mendacity round then it might be time to go rummaging within the attic. Examine these darkish corners and see what musical treasures you could have hidden away. It’s also possible to spend a while checking your native charity retailers for some thrifty vinyl finds so as to add to your vinyl assortment on the market.
Grading
Earlier than promoting vinyl data, we’d advocate checking the situation of your previous vinyls. An in depth description is totally important.
Most report collectors use one thing known as Goldmine Normal. It’s price familiarising your self with this in case you’re contemplating promoting your previous data.
Right here’s how the system is classed:
Mint (M)
Suppose ‘mint situation’. This report is ideal in each means, in an unblemished, sealed sleeve and has by no means been performed. Many collectors will solely grade as much as Close to Mint so as to maintain Mint situation because the unrealised best. These are uncommon, however by far essentially the most useful.
Close to Mint (NM)
That is near excellent however not fairly. A report’s sound high quality remains to be excellent, however it has been opened and performed just a few instances. The vinyl is shiny, unmarked and the sleeve appears to be like flawless. These promote for a fairly penny.
Very Good Plus (VG+)
The sleeve and vinyl are frivolously marked and it suffers from occasional faint audio blips, however in any other case there isn’t actually something unsuitable with it.
Very Good (VG)
There are a few minor issues like background pops and clicks or small seen scratches that point out it’s had just a few birthdays, however it’s nonetheless fulfilling to hearken to and have a look at. That is the commonest type of report, however nonetheless price promoting. You would possibly discover a few of the authentic inserts are lacking or broken.
Good (G)
In a little bit of a misnomer, Good means barely acceptable. It appears to be like scruffy, could also be lacking its sleeve and the sound points will probably be very noticeable. Should you’re pondering of promoting vinyl data, then these might not be price it, until they’re particularly uncommon or celebrated.
Poor (P) or Honest (F)
The one data to be offered on this situation are the uncommon or classic, the place the privilege of proudly owning them issues greater than the standard of the piece. The report is badly warped, scratched or cracked, making a listening expertise that borders on painful. This may be acceptable for issues like restricted editions or first presses.
Cleansing
When making ready to grade and data in your assortment, first give them a great clear to take away any mud or imperfections. A gradual construct up of detritus causes the report to skip and click on. Wiping it rigorously will assist with grading and get it in good situation able to promote.
A correct vinyl report cleaner could be your greatest wager, however these may be costly. Take a look at these 8 straightforward and inexpensive methods to wash your data right here. How a lot you’re keen to spend on the cleansing course of actually relies on the data, their situation and the way a lot you’re more likely to make from them.
As soon as your report is clear, take a look at it beneath a robust vibrant mild (ideally direct daylight) with a magnifying glass, after which if doable, attempt it out (though we admire not everybody owns a report participant). Keep in mind to be cautious of grading as excessive as Close to Mint until it actually deserves it. Collectors know what you need to be grading one thing higher than you’ll, not less than at first – so it’s necessary to do your analysis on every report to be sure to’re not by accident giving somebody a tremendous cut price!
Identification
Now that you’ve an concept of what grade your report is, it’s time to work out precisely what it’s that you’ve in entrance of you. Once more, detailed descriptions are key.
There must be a label or a serial quantity someplace on the report or its sleeve, and in case you verify this towards a listing or on-line, you possibly can work out helpful particulars like which version you may have in entrance of you. It may very well be a really particular report and price some huge cash.
Totally different editions of the identical album can have large variations in promoting worth, so it is vitally necessary to know which one you may have. The album itself my be frequent, however the version much less so.
Pricing
Should you’re new to promoting vinyl data, then it’s at all times price seeing how a lot different individuals offered them for. You may normally discover this on-line by checking eBay or Amazon.
If you could find what extra skilled sellers acquired for data an identical to yours (when it comes to version and high quality), then this provides you with a good suggestion of what to set your asking worth as. Attempt looking out the historic promoting knowledge of websites like Discogs or Popsike.
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In style and Worthwhile Vinyl Data
It’s seemingly that lots of your data should not be significantly uncommon or thrilling and a few should not even in good situation. However you by no means know what you could have, many a vendor has had useful treasure tucked away someplace they didn’t learn about. It’s totally doable. Particularly in case your assortment is giant.
Simply in case you fancy extra money and so they occur to show up in your attic, listed below are a few of the hottest vinyl data to generate profits from (in case you’re fortunate sufficient to search out them):
- The Beatles – The White Album – an early press with the Apple picture might fetch £10,000
- Nirvana – Bleach: A purple and white marbled model might web you £1,000 whereas a full white model might get £2,000 or extra in mint situation
- The Beatles – Yesterday and Right this moment (Bloody Dolls Cowl) – This horror-show cowl was recalled it was so disturbing, however a sealed model might web £25,000 or extra
- Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin – In case you have a primary press of the rock band’s authentic album, you’re in luck. The turquoise typography and Superhype credit score model might promote for over £10,000
- Pleasure Division – An Excellent for Residing – Just one,000 copies had been pressed of this debut, so in case you have one it might promote for over £1,200
- The White Stripes – Lafayette Blues (hand drawn) – At a gig launch, Jack White and the pinnacle of the recording firm needed to hand-draw covers once they weren’t accomplished in time for the present, and will now sweep you effectively over £12,000 (which, contemplating they offered for $6 at first, is a tidy revenue!)
- Intercourse Pistols – God Save The Queen – A mint first press of this iconic LP might imply an additional £6,000 or extra in your pocket
- Quarrymen – In Spite of All The Hazard – Earlier than they Ringo got here on the scene and so they grew to become the Beatles, John, George, and Paul had been Quarrymen – and this LP has beforehand offered for a WHOPPING $260,000 prior to now!
The place Can You Promote Them?
If simply eliminating your vinyl assortment that take up an excessive amount of house is your precedence, you may promote them at non-specialist second hand shops or at a automobile boot sale. That is additionally good in case your data aren’t significantly uncommon or useful. You would possibly have the ability to get an honest lump sum for a vinyl assortment, however in any other case you’ll in all probability find yourself promoting them for an honest revenue.
Nevertheless, be sure to do your analysis on every title in your possession first, and make your self a transparent catalogue that lists the title, serial quantity, and situation. You may need some hidden gems, which require a specialist vinyl reseller or collector to tackle – a Google search will present one related to your location and your kind of assortment (corresponding to whether or not it’s principally rock or classical or one thing in-between). A spreadsheet with the very important data on it might probably assist any critical purchaser to inform in case you have one thing of nice worth – and it’ll additionally aid you work out the tough worth for every merchandise so you understand you’re not getting fobbed off with a lowball worth.
Should you’re simply promoting your assortment as a one-time factor, you don’t need to register for tax. However if you wish to flip this right into a facet hustle, shopping for vinyl from thrift retailers and eBay to promote on for the next worth, that’s counted as a enterprise and you will need to register with HMRC.
And don’t overlook about tax. You in all probability received’t need to pay VAT as you’re allowed a £85,000 turnover earlier than you must pay it. Nevertheless, in case your taxable turnover is over £85,000 (which, admittedly, could be a variety of vinyl gross sales!) then you definitely’ll need to contact HMRC to register for VAT.
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