The good news is, retro is rising up again. Clear the shit off the top of your drinks cabinet and make room for some discs. But be prepared to pay more for one tune than your annual Spotify subscription.
“The last decade has seen a real surge in fascination of all things ‘retro culture’, whether it’s vintage games, fashion or films,” says Scott Tait, Vinyl Expert at the British Heart Foundation’s eBay store. “And LPs have been no different! There’s something tactile about them that you can’t get from music streaming and they’ve soared in popularity. Listening to a vinyl and building your record collection is an experience that appeals to our sense of nostalgia.
“As the biggest charity retailer in the world on eBay, we have a team of experts who work out a price for each item before it is listed online. I’m lucky enough to work at the British Heart Foundation’s eBay warehouse in Leeds, where I see some of the awesome vintage records that are generously donated to the charity.
“Last year, a rare 1968 copy of The Beatles White Album was donated to our Sutton Coldfield shop and raised an amazing £2,350 on eBay. More recently, a first pressing of Dr Strangely Strange’s Heavy Petting from 1970 was donated to us and raised £460.
“As LPs are so loved, they’re bound to have a few scratches here and there when they arrive here, but we check to make sure they are still in playable and good condition. We have a look at which pressing it is and whether there’s a specific label that might raise the value, for example, the iconic ‘swirl’ label on older Vertigo Records which flags it as a vintage item. Complete box sets that include coloured vinyl, limited or exclusive editions will also receive a lot of interest. The recent Dr Strangely Strange record came complete with the vintage Vertigo logo and the original tri-fold sleeve, which placed it in high demand.
“We see a big appetite for all things rock, particularly between the 60s and 80s for bands like Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden and Queen. Any albums from The Beatles are popular, and any errors in their earlier recordings like missing credits or song titles, make them more valuable. The 1968 album donated to the BHF included a misprint only found in the first version of the record, of which there were only 10,000 in existence. If you are a keen vinyl fan, make sure to keep an eye on our eBay store to snap up any new listings, which currently includes Stevie Nicks, Pink Floyd, and Nirvana.
“If you have any records that need a new home, we will be grateful for any items we can resell to fund lifesaving research! Simply drop them in your local BHF shop or send them via post.”
