God Save Your Green: The 25 Most Expensive Punk 7-inches

The DIY spirit of punk inspired bands all over the world to start their own labels and release their own records. The ideal format quickly became 7-inch records because they were affordable and the shorter sides complemented the genre’s immediacy. Many bands designed their own sleeves and inserts, then put each record together by hand, all in an effort to share their music with people as inexpensively as possible. So why are records that were made for next-to-nothing now selling for thousands of dollars?

To find the best answer to this question, we explored the Database, put together a list of the 25 most expensive punk 7-inch records ever sold on Discogs, and looked for some common threads. Since sought-after 7-inches regularly sell for large sums of money, we focused on the highest price paid for each release. For example, the Misfits’ Cough/Cool has sold for $4,400, $6,500, $7,500, and $10,877, but only the most expensive sale in the Marketplace is included in the list below.

Like Discogs’ other most expensive rankings, the popularity of some artists plays a part in the price tag. Well-known punk bands like the Sex Pistols and the Misfits made the list multiple times, but it’s not just their notoriety that makes their 7-inches highly collectible.

Many of the releases featured here are very rare. One Sex Pistols 7-inch that made the list is rumored to be a limited edition of nine copies, according to one member of the Discogs Community. Although some collectors think there may be more, this extremely rare release has become the holy grail of punk 7-inches and ranks at No. 1.

The Misfits’ debut single, Cough/Cool, was released on Blank Records, a label started by frontman Glenn Danzig. After releasing only 500 copies, Danzig traded the Blank name to Polygram in exchange for studio time. He renamed his label Plan 9 and continued to release Misfits records, including the three different versions of Bullet found on this list.

Joy Division also made the cut with the original pressing of An Ideal For Living. Entering the studio as Warsaw, the band changed their name to Joy Division shortly before the EP’s release. These four songs reflect the young group’s punk roots and DIY ethic as they released 1,000 copies on their own record label. With cardstock covers folded into four squares, it’s often speculated that these were hand-folded by the band.

Other rare self-released 7-inches that made the most expensive list include releases from the Dicks, Bad Brains, and Minor Threat. Much like Minor Threat’s Dischord Records, labels like Touch and Go formed in an effort to document their local scene. Early Touch and Go releases from The Fix, Necros, and Negative Approach are also among the top 25 records listed here.

Do you have any of the priciest punk 7-inches in your Wantlist or Collection? View the list below to find out!