The rarest and costliest records by 10 main rock bands

As lengthy as there have been records, there have been document collectors. There are music followers who merely benefit from the look, really feel and sound of a physical-format document after which there are the collectors, completists and obsessives who crave the rarer artifacts and are keen to pay some huge cash to safe them.

These are the costliest albums and singles by 10 main rock bands. We’re solely taking a look at legit releases (so no bootlegs) and we’re not contemplating autographs, which might enhance the worth of in any other case much less sought-after gadgets. It’s additionally value mentioning that correct valuations may be tough as they have a tendency to go to public sale and might fluctuate wildly.  If you do have any of those although, it’s best to undoubtedly give your insurers a fast name…

The Beatles – The Beatles, first urgent (1968)

The first 4 numbered copies of The Beatles – generally generally known as The White Album – got to the band members and Ringo Starr bought his (No. 0000001) for $790,000 (£618,000) at public sale; the best value ever paid for a commercially launched album. The worth drops sharply after the primary 4 however 0000005 nonetheless fetched a formidable £19,201 on eBay in 2008. If you’re not one of many Fab Four you may be higher off on the lookout for the notorious unique ‘butcher cowl’ model of Yesterday and Today. One sealed stereo copy bought for $125,000 (£98,000) in 2016.

Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin Past, Present and Future (1979)

Led Zeppelin’s restricted version ‘Road Case’ field units, initially priced at $700 in 2006, routinely fetch $10,000-plus. For a single document although, variations of the band’s eponymous debut album with turquoise quite than orange lettering can promote for hundreds however the holiest of holies might be Led Zeppelin Past, Present and Future – an official promotional album that was by no means launched by Swan Song Records. Only two take a look at pressings and three sleeves are identified to exist and whereas the paired gadgets have beforehand modified arms for round $6,000, they’re prone to be value significantly extra now.

There are loads of invaluable Pink Floyd rarities on the market however some are significantly rarer and extra invaluable than others. A Chilean model of 1971 album Meddle bought for $12,000 (£9,400) on eBay on account of a singular cowl, however Discogs.com beat that with an ultra-rare mint purple vinyl Japanese promo copy of 1969’s Ummagumma going for $13,953 (£10,900).

Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody, numbered blue vinyl (1978)

Queen bought greater than 2.5 million copies of Bohemian Rhapsody within the UK alone, however there have been solely 200 of this particular blue vinyl version backed with I’m In Love With My Car. They have been truly handed out to friends at a luncheon occasion at Selfridges to mark document label EMI successful a Queen’s Award To Industry For Export Achievement. They additionally got here with merch together with etched goblets, an embroidered handkerchief/scarf, a commemorative pen and a field of matches. A replica of the one plus handkerchief bought for £3,300 in 2013 and a full set might be now valued at £6,000-plus.

Iron Maiden – Twilight Zone/Wrathchild brown vinyl mispress (1981)

Iron Maiden’s ultra-rare Japanese 7” promo of 2 Minutes To Midnight is up there for collectors however it tends to be simply edged out by the virtually legendary brown model of the Twilight Zone/Wrathchild single. The brown color was the results of a mix-up within the urgent plant and it’s not even identified precisely what number of of those are in existence. They’ve tended to commerce for a couple of thousand over time and in 2020 one bought on eBay for £6,466 – the vendor had beforehand mentioned he would think about ending the public sale early for bids in extra of £6,666.66.

One extremely wanted piece of Metallica historical past is the white vinyl model of The Black Album. Only 50 have been made they usually’ve modified arms for $2,000-plus. Even rarer, although, is the take a look at urgent of debut album Kill Em All, which is available in a plain white sleeve with ‘KEA’ hand-written on one facet. There are supposedly fewer than 10 in existence (and maybe as few as three or 4) they usually have bought for as a lot as $6,600 (£5,140).

The Rolling Stones – Street Fighting Man, image sleeve (1968)

The late 60s have been a turbulent time within the US, and the Rolling Stones tapped into the zeitgeist with Street Fighting Man. The unique launch featured photos of police brutality taken from unidentified demos that have been rapidly withdrawn by the label as radio stations refused to play the tune. According to the Rather Rare Records web site, it’s not clear whether or not the one was ever launched to most people on this format or a small take a look at market. Whatever the reality, it’s extremely uncommon and US public sale web site Heritage bought a duplicate for $81,250 (£63,300) in 2021.

AC/DC – If You Want Blood You’ve Got It, Dutch splatter vinyl (1978)

Even if we low cost the unofficial cassette copy of the never-released 12 of the Best assortment that has bought for greater than $10k, it’s nonetheless troublesome to select a single AC/DC document that’s constantly costlier than its rivals. Debut single Can I Sit Next To You, Girl with unique singer Dave Evans can go for as much as £4,000 however the winner appears to be a toss-up between the New Zealand model of the Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap 7” and a Dutch ‘splatter model’ of the reside album If You Want Blood You’ve Got It. Both are likely to go for round £3-5,000 however we’ll go for the Blood spatter as Popsike experiences a peak sale of $9,000 (£7000). Also, it simply seems to be cool.

Guns N’ Roses – Paradise City, take a look at urgent (1987)

They may need made some of the costly albums in historical past in Chinese Democracy however Guns N’ Roses rarities don’t appear to fetch as a lot as others on this record. At the time of writing there’s a CDr take a look at urgent of Chinese Democracy listed on Discogs.com for $8,000, however it’s the sale value that counts. Both Popsike and WorthYourMusic.com record the vinyl take a look at urgent of Paradise City, dated two years earlier than the one’s launch, as the best precise sale – at a nonetheless not totally shabby $2,500 (£1940).

Jimi Hendrix – Axis: Bold As Love, US mono first urgent (1967)

Although not a document, the reel-to-reel grasp soundboard tape of the Jimi Hendrix Experience at Woburn Music Festival bought at Christie’s for £48,050. As far as precise releases go, the primary urgent of Electric Ladyland with blue print typically outperforms different rarities, hitting as much as £2,600. A mono 1st UK urgent of second album Axis: Bold As Love often sells for £1,000-plus however a US model was bought through Heritage Auctions for $10,937.50 (£8,500) in 2022.