Thread: The 20 most collectable LPs

Record collecting has never been more popular with vinyl LPs from The Beatles still commanding the highest prices, but experts predict that it won't be long before recordings made by bands in the eighties and nineties will be worth owning too.

Published: 1:19PM BST 04 Jun 2009
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The Rolling Stones, Their Satanic Majestics Request - the 9th most popular collectable album, according to Record Collector

The Beatles 'The White Album' - the most popular collectable album, according to Record Collector

John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Unfinished Music No 1 - the second most popular collectable album, according to Record Collector

The Beatles, Please Please Me - the third most popular collectable album

Billy Nichols, Would You Believe - the 4th most popular collectable album

Marc Bolan, Hard on Love - the 5th most popular collectable album

Dark, Dark Around The Edges - the 12th most popular collectable album

The Beatles, Yellow Submarine - the 17th most popular collectable album

Spriguns of Tolgus, Jack With a Feather - the 18th most popular collectable album

The Beatles, Abbey Road - the 20th most popular collectable album


What's more, as CDs and digital downloads have taken over the music industry, LP sleeves and the original artwork on them become rarer and more sought after.

Neil Roberts, head of popular culture for auction house Christie's, whose next Rock and Pop sale is on July 1, said: "Album sleeves played such an important role in the past, you went and picked up your vinyl every Saturday and what was on the LP sleeve was important. I think that's an area that's going to be more in demand in the future."

Old LPs can currently be picked up in charity shops and traditional record stores for £5-£20 and with correct storage may be worth considerably more in 20 years' time.
Besides The Beatles, British blue-chip bands that command hundreds of pounds for rare and earliest pressings include the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Who and The Smiths. David Bowie and Marc Bolan also have a huge fan base. Across the water, Elvis is among the most sought-after rock and roll innovators.
Queen's Complete Works, a 14 LP boxed released in 1985 is worth around £1,000 if signed by band. U2's Rattle And Hum single, CD, LP and cassette in 'flight case', promo-only is worth around £1,000. A promo version of the Pet Shop Boys Retrospective LP with the tracks pressed on three clear vinyl 12-inch singles, goes for about £800 as there are only a reported 10 copies.
Here are the 20 most collectable albums, taken from Record Collector's 'The Top 200 most collectable LPs'. www.recordcollectormag.com

Album
Value
1. The Beatles, The Beatles 'The White Album'
£5,000-£7,000+
2. John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Unfinished
£3,000
3. The Beatles, Please Please Me
£2,500
4. Billy Nichols, Would You Believe Me
£2,500
5. Marc Bolan, Hard on Love
£2,000
6. The Bread and Beer Band, Untitled
£2,000
7. Forever Amber, The Love Cycle
£2,000
8. Jimi Hendrix, Cry of Love
£2,000
9. The Rolling Stones, Their Satanic Majesties Request
£2,000
10. The Beatles, The Beatles (export LP)
£1,500
11. David Bowie, Bowpromo
£1,500
12. Dark, Dark Around The Edges
£1,500
13. Doctor Isiah Ross, The Flying Eagle
£1,500
14. Friends, Friends
£1,500
15. Alexis Korner, Blues From The Roundhouse
£1,500
16. The Rolling Stones, Promotional Album
£1,500
17. The Beatles, Yellow Submarine
£1,200
18. Spriguns of Tolgus, Jack With a Feather
£1,200
19. Tinkerbell's Fairydust, Tinkerbell's Fairydust
£1,200
20. The Beatles, Abbey Road
£1,000

Bugger....I've got Abbey Road but its got no cover. Also got a mint copy of
Dark Side of the Moon ......with original poster. Must be worth something ?

I got both the White Album and Abbey Road.

And at least with the White Album I am 100% sure I bought it when it first came out.


If I dig deep I believe I can also find Yellow Submarine and Please please me. With at least Yellow Submarine bought when it came out first.


Must be one of these cases where you pay 7000 if you want to buy it but get 20 if you try to sell.

Got Slayer - Reign in Blood. How much is that going for?

I've got a pile of old 78's including South Pacific that I inherited from my parents.

I read somewhere that Thaksin was in South Pacific but it must have been a very small part.

Ko Tao?

Some of theses top collectors item vinyls seem downright strange- The Beatles White Album is a great album, but the cover is plain white. Some obscure bands I've never heard of too. There are a couple of Stones albums- but why not Sticky Fingers, original cover, which had a real zip? In terms of cover artwork, some of the Santana albums are pretty amazing too.

I had a look into eBay. The White Album in good to very good condition seems to go at prices between 50 and 100 Euro.

There are different covers. The one sold in Germany I have does not even have a gray print The Beatles but is pressed in relief. It carries a light gray number only, that looks like a serial number from a stamp.

On eBay there are slightly different versions from different countries of origin.

Originally Posted by sabang

In terms of cover artwork, some of the Santana albums are pretty amazing too.

L:A artist Klarwein

many here other work online

Mati Klarwein

Originally Posted by sabang

Sthe Santana albums are pretty amazing too.

Any album that Roger Dean designed the cover for.
Yes, Uriah Heep, Gentle Giant etc.

I have a pile of about 200 78s going back to the early 50s, any offers? Buyer collects, NW London.

Originally Posted by sabang

The Beatles White Album is a great album, but the cover is plain white.

funny how that works.

Originally Posted by Bangyai

may be worth considerably more in 20 years' time.

All mine went to the bin when I moved to SEA.

^Gave all my vinyl away 25 years ago to friends back in the UK. I had a lot of early punk 77-79 singles when they started appearing with great cover artwork and coloured vinyl. Bet they'd be worth a mint now..

^Big mistake!

I regret selling my collection for a few hundred quid 20 years ago.

one in particular has just sold at auction for £800!

Cost to me back in the day was £15.


Started collecting again, albeit on a smaller scale.

What was Chairman Mao banned for?

11,000 posts in two years is keen.

I have got the original Sticky Fingers with the zip cover.



Looking on ebay it seems to be worth somewhere in the region of a cool $20-$30 !!

I have some of these LP's, but with Yugoslavian pressing.

Shouldn't that even be more collectible?

Originally Posted by cyrille

What was Chairman Mao banned for?

11,000 posts in two years is keen.

?????
You gone stir crazy watching your cctv footage 24/7.

I don't see my "Des O'Connors Greatest Hits" and "The very very best of Roger Whittaker" anywhere.

Just found the Tony Sheridan LP. It's never been opened? I've crates of this stuff. Play them on the old Zenith. Stacks of 78s that I'd pick up from yard sales and Goodwill stores. Back when I collected oil lamps and clocks.

Dug down past a few more Beatles Lps and found an open one. Its says made in England 1962.

That's kinda cool. Mabey some day I'll play it just for kicks.

Must have sucked cause it doesn't look like anyone played this one either.

This ones cool.