Finding record value online - how does it work?

Old records usually collect dust in the basement. But often they are of great value. We'll show you how to find it online. Perhaps you will find one or the other rarity.

Hard work: Finding vinyl records online

Enter artist and title and the current value appears? Unfortunately, it's not that simple with records. Here, initiative is required:

• First, search for your records in online auction houses. Pay particular attention to the auctions here. Fixed price offers often give a completely wrong picture of the real record value. Well-known sites such as Ebay, Amazon or JPC are available here.
• Compare all offers and ask yourself the following questions: At what price was the plate sold? What is the number of bids and therefore the interest in the vinyl? Is the condition of the vinyl sold like that of your own vinyl?
• The "Popsike" website makes your search easier: Here you will find the current auction prices for your records clearly listed. The best: The website unites auction platforms from all over the world.
• If you do not find any satisfactory information here, there are still so-called record exchanges: These are ultimately classic Internet forums, in which collectors search for records and offer others for sale.
• This website is particularly suitable for this. There you will always come across enthusiastic collectors in German-speaking countries.
• You should also bring some time here: Above all, consider the search queries of the collectors. How often is your record asked and what is the price?
• You can also browse the artists' fan forums. There is often information about which record is particularly rare and popular. You can also use it to calculate your sales opportunities.

Alternatively: find record catalogs and record stores

The manual price search on the Internet is very lengthy. In addition, the value of your panels can only be roughly estimated. The whole thing works a little easier with record catalogs or in the vinyl shop around the corner.

• So you should definitely take a look at the nearest record store. Here you will find a lot of used records at well researched prices. Competent salespeople often work here to help you.
• But be careful: Real collectors will rarely tell you the true value of your record.
• Another possibility are so-called plate catalogs. Ultimately, these are also based on auction prices, but save you the tedious search. Unfortunately, extensive record catalogs are not exactly cheap.
• Here you pay around 30 euros per issue. But you will also receive detailed assessments of almost 150, 000 records. You can also order them on Amazon.
• Unfortunately, there are no comparable listings on the Internet. After all, the vinyl website "Recordsale" contains the prices for some rarities. But there is currently nothing more.

Warning: the quality decides the race

Ultimately, you shouldn't just rely on auction prices or record catalogs. The value of your personal vinyls depends on many other factors:

• For example, the condition of the cover and the record play a role. The better the sound quality and the less scratches are in the record, the more money the good piece brings.
• The label on the record itself should also be well preserved.
• Collectors often also need to press the plate. First editions are of course more popular than post-productions and colored vinyls from Korea are more interesting than those from Germany. You will usually find the necessary information on the label (see screenshot).
• A Google search or a record catalog provides information about the strange string.

In the meantime, certain abbreviations have become common for the quality of old records. You can find out what these mean here.