These pages are a price guide for Rare or Vintage records. This record pricing guide will help you to estimate the value of your current vinyl record collection.

This page is work in progress, if I can help you with the price of a particular record, email me at the address at the bottom of the page.

General guidelines for appraising your LP's

As an introduction is below a set of "basic" guidelines for estimating the value of your record collection. Each of these topics will be explained in full detail later on.

1. Rarity vs Scarce - both "rare" and "scarce" refer to records which are hard to find. scarce are records which are hard to find, but which have no demand by collectors. rare records are also records which are hard to find but these are in demand.
2. Sealed vs non-sealed - sealed records (albums which have not been unwrapped) will have a higher market value
3. Release date - rock records from the 60s & 70s will have a higher value then records from the 80s, 90s.
4. Condition - the condition of the record and the album cover play a very important role
5. Promotional and DEMO records
6. Records which have been withdrawn from marketing soon after their release

Records which have no value

Apart from the sentimental value, in general the following types of records have little or no particular value

1. Records which have been sold in millions
2. Compilation records

Dating the release date of a record

One of the first factors which help to determine the price of the record, is date the record was produced. Some of the general rule

• Original (1st issue) pressings of records have a higher value
• Re-issues of records are less collectable then original release
• Records from the 60s, 70s are more valuable then records from the 80s and 90s.

Keep in mind that the above are general rules and exception will proof the generality of these rules.

If the album cover has an EAN code (product identification barcode) it has been produced after 1973.

Columbia / CBS Records

This section can help you to date Columbia Records based on information or the looks of Columbia's record labels

1938 - Late 50's two overlapping circles with the Magic Notes in the left circle and a CBS microphone in the right circle.

1948 - Introduction of the Long Playing Microgroove LP
1955 - Introduction of the Walking Eye logo 1960 Modification of the Walking Eye logo

Parlophone Records

This section can help you to date parlophone records

The typical Parlophone label from the 60's has a black label with "PARLOPHONE" in yellow. This basic label style lasted on all Parlophone issues until 1969, when it was replaced by a black label with silver print. However, there were three different variations of the 60's parlophone label, which make it possible to give a more accurate date to your Parlophone album.

From April of 1963 through the end of the year, Parlophone LP's featured the new black label with "The Parlophone Co. Ltd." in the rim print. There is no printed slogan across the middle of the label on this issue.

From 1965 until 1969, all Parlophone LP's were released with labels having The Gramophone Co. Ltd. in the rim print and the Sold in UK message across the center of the label.

Getting Started

Record collectors can benefit in different ways from their collection, because records can be listend and the music enjoyed. Additionally the artwork , album descriptions and liner notes give great information on the artists/performers of a recording.

Places to find records

Great places to find records are:
Record shops - there are still a great number of vinyl record shops around. You will find great quality records at record shops. Serious record shops will take care about their reputation and services
so you can expect records in great condition. Check your local shops and support the business they are doing, they depend on you (note: when buying a larger nr of records they are often willing to offer a discount or throw in an extra bonus records)
Flea markets, Garage Sales - Flea markets and garage sales are great places to find records at low prices, but take care of the records cover and vinyl condition.
Newspaper advertisements - check your newspapers for people cleaning up their cellars and garages and trying to sell their records. Quick reaction and action is often required to make the deal, before somebody else does
Friends - do your friends still have records, you may discover common tastes in music.

Checking records condition

This section describes a method for quicky grading records.

Ideally you have plenty of time and very bright sun-light to check the condition of album covers and LPs. Unfortunately this often NOT the case, as you need to check tens of records at a garage sale, and a next buyer already standing by :-)

Check the album cover, if album cover looks in mint (like new) condition, you can almost assume that the owner took care of the collection and the record itself will also be fine. Take the record out of the sleeve and hold it in various angles in the light to detect any scratches or surface marks. Glide your finger over marks, if you feel a mark you will also hear it when listening, but keep in mind that perfect records dont exist

Check the record label around the spindle hole, lack of white spots around the spindle hole, indicates that the record has been rarely played and used.

Above checks allow you to quickly check the condition of a album and record but nothing can beat listening to a record to check the condition, personally I use two different turntables with different cartridges.