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50 Most Expensive Vinyl Records

The most expensive vinyl records sold on Discogs include original pressings, limited promo LPs, and rare albums that were recalled.

Record collectors are accustomed to dishing out some serious dough for coveted vinyl. Maybe you splurge regularly on rare records or seek out deluxe reissues to keep your collection up-to-date. Perhaps you’ve paid a pretty penny for that one holy grail.

But have you ever dropped a cool $34,000?

Below is a ranking of the 100 most expensive records ever sold on Discogs, including the current No. 1: Choose Your Weapon by Scaramanga Silk.

Discogs has highlighted the top three most expensive records. It’s important to note that two of them are promotional copies. Oftentimes, before an album or song is released to the public, various folks — think radio DJs back in the day or online music critics now — may receive a promo to listen to the music ahead of everyone else. This marketing ploy helps generate buzz and boost album sales. In the vinyl resale market, promos are viewed as extremely valuable due to their limited availability. That is also the case for most of the records included here.

You will also notice multiple entries for certain records. That’s because some of these rarities have consistently sold for small fortunes. Box sets have been excluded, so you’ll find a mix of 7-inch records, LPs, and double LPs listed below.

Featured image by Egle_pe.

Top 3 Most Expensive Vinyl Records

#1

Choose Your Weapon
Scaramanga Silk
2008
Electronic
12″, Black Vinyl, Limited Edition
Shop

Choose Your Weapon is a promotional gatefold self-released in 2008 with a 12-inch and a CD-Rom, both of which contain the title track, as well as “an art print by Immyart and a poem on an acetate,” according to the Database. Only 20 copies exist, and one copy sold for $27,500.

#2

The Black Album
Prince
1987
Funk / Soul
LP, Black Vinyl
Shop

Right before The Black Album was going to be released, Prince demanded that the record be pulled and destroyed because he was convinced it was “evil.”This uncirculated, sealed LP from the otherwise-destroyed Canadian production run was saved by a pressing plant employee at the last minute. It went for $25,000.

#3

The Black Album
Prince
1987
Funk / Soul
2 x LP, Black Vinyl, Promo
Shop

This version of The Black Album is a double LP with a promotional stamp and a parental advisory warning sticker. With only one copy ever sold on Discogs, this is one of the rarest Prince records a collector could hope to get their hands on — if they have $20,000.

Most Expensive Vinyl Records of All Time

CoverPrice      Artist(s)TitleLabelGenreFormatYearShop
null$27500Scaramanga SilkChoose Your WeaponNot On Label (Scaramanga Silk Self-released)Electronic12″, S/Sided, Ltd, Num, Promo + CDr, Promo2008Shop
null$25000PrinceThe Black AlbumWarner Bros. RecordsElectronic, Funk / SoulLP, Album1987Shop
null$20000PrinceThe Black AlbumWarner Bros. RecordsFunk / Soul2×12″, Album, Promo1987Shop
null$15000The BeatlesLove Me DoParlophoneRock7″, Single, Promo1962Shop
null$14423.1Pink FloydUmmagummaOdeonRock2xLP, Album, Promo, Red1970Shop
null$13953.5CanMonster MovieMusic Factory RockLP, Album1969Shop
null$13360Ferris Wheel Supernatural GirlNicroFolk, World, & Country, RockLP, Album, Mono1974Shop
null$13157.9MisfitsCough/Cool / SheBlank Records Rock7″, Single, Ltd1977Shop
null$10877Billy NichollsWould You BelieveImmediateBlues, Pop, RockLP, Album1968Shop
null$10667.9Mourning PhaseMourning PhaseEden RockLP, Album, TP1971Shop
null$10465.1RöyksoppMelody A.M.Wall Of SoundElectronic2xLP, Album, Ltd, Num, S/Edition, W/Lbl2001Shop
null$9795.92The Velvet Underground & Nico The Velvet Underground & NicoVerve RecordsRockLP, Album, Mono, Eas1967Shop
null$9000Rita & The TiarasGone With The Wind Is My Love / Wild TimesDoreFunk / Soul7″, Promo1967Shop
null$9000Mötley CrüeToo Fast For LoveLeathür RecordsRockLP, Album1981Shop
null$8700Capitolo 6Frutti Per KaguaItRockLP, Album, Gat1972Shop
null$8536.58CanMonster Movie (Made In A Castle With Better Equipment)Music Factory RockLP, Album, RP1970Shop
null$8535.37JudgeChung King Can Suck ItRevelation Records RockLP, Album, Num, Whi1989Shop
null$8272.05Leonid Kogan And Elisabeth Gilels – Jean-Marie Leclair • Georg Philipp Telemann • Eugène YsaÿeSonatas For Two ViolinsColumbiaClassicalLP, Album1964Shop
null$7865.17Sounds Of LiberationNew HorizonsDogtown RecordsJazzLP, Album1972Shop
null$7777.77Ludwig Van Beethoven, Leonid Kogan, Orchestre De La Société Des Concerts Du Conservatoire Conducted By Constantin SilvestriViolin ConcertoColumbiaClassicalLP, Album1961Shop
null$7500MisfitsBulletPlan 9Rock7″, EP1979Shop
null$7495The BeatlesPlease Please MeParlophoneRockLP, Album, Bla1963Shop
null$7333.33Larry Clinton She’s WantedDynamo Funk / Soul7″, Promo1965Shop
null$7295.92Michael CosmicPeace In The WorldCosmic Records JazzLP, Album1975Shop
null$7000AC/DCCan I Sit Next To You, GirlPolydor, Albert ProductionsRock7″, Single1974Shop
null$7000Tamala LewisYou Won’t Say NothingMarton RecordsFunk / Soul7″1965Shop
null$7000Davie Jones & The King BeesLiza JaneVocalion PopBlues, Pop, Rock7″, Single1964Shop
null$6999.99Forever AmberThe Love CycleAdvance RockLP, Album, Mono, Ltd1969Shop
null$6944.44Cherry FiveCherry FiveCinevox RecordRockLP, Album, Gat1975Shop
null$6634.2Damon Song Of A GypsyAnkh RockLP, Album1968Shop
null$6547.62Damon Song Of A GypsyAnkh RockLP, Album, Gat1968Shop
null$6500October After The FallNot On Label (October Self-released)RockLP, Album1979Shop
null$6500Pink FloydThe Piper At The Gates Of DawnOdeonRockLP, Album, TP1967Shop
null$6500MirkwoodMirkwoodFlams LtdRockLP, Album1973Shop
null$6500Toshiaki Yokota And The Beat Generation Flute Adventure: Le Soleil Était Encore Chaud = 太陽はまだ暑く燃えていた…London RecordsJazzLP, Album1970Shop
null$6480Ray AgeeHard Lovin Woman / I’m Losing AgainSoultown RecordsFunk / Soul7″1967Shop
null$6389.53David BowieRubber BandDeccaPop7″, Single, Promo1966Shop
null$6255.68Leaf HoundGrowers Of MushroomDeccaRockLP, Album1971Shop
null$6222.22Fraction Moon BloodAngelus RecordsRockLP, Album1971Shop
null$6111.11Churchill’sChurchill’s = צ’רצ’יליםHed-ArziRockLP, Album1968Shop
null$6000LaRom André BakerYou’re The BestThe Record Company Funk / Soul7″, S/Sided1978Shop
null$6000Soul IncorporatedMy ProposalCoconut Groove Funk / Soul7″1967Shop
null$6000Gorilla BiscuitsGorilla BiscuitsRevelation Records Rock7″, Ltd, RP, Yel1988Shop
null$6000Jay Richford & Gary StevanFeelingsCaroselloFunk / Soul, JazzLP, Album1974Shop
null$5800Speed, Glue & ShinkiSpeed, Glue & ShinkiAtlanticRock2xLP, Album1972Shop
null$5797.77PhafnerOverdriveDragon Records RockLP, Album1972Shop
null$5617.97Bruce SpringsteenBorn To RunColumbiaRockLP, Advance, Album, Promo, Scr1975Shop
null$5581.4Negative ApproachNegative ApproachTouch And GoRock7″, EP1982Shop
null$5500The Tiaras Foolish GirlOp.ArtFunk / Soul7″, SingleShop
null$5500A Fleeting GlanceA Fleeting GlanceNot On LabelRockLP, Album1970Shop

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About the Most Expensive Vinyl Records on Discogs

A list of the most expensive releases ever sold features items that were purchased and paid for on Discogs. Although most people come to Discogs to buy new records from independent sellers around the world, some collectors are on the hunt for rarities that sell for high prices due to their scarcity. 

Discogs is the world’s largest online music database and marketplace. Dedicated contributors catalog releases in the Database and sellers use this information to list items for sale in the Marketplace. On the right side of each release page, you’ll find useful statistics about the lowest, median, and highest price paid for the item you are viewing.

All prices have been converted to USD (United States Dollar). Some prices may fluctuate with the exchange rate; the prices on this list reflect the current exchange rate while the prices on the release pages reflect the exchange rate at the time of sale.

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