How much are you willing to spend on vinyl? Twenty bucks? A hundred?
This is a question every collector faces whenever they visit a record store, or search for LP gold at a pop-up show, as I do whenever Dig a Little visits my local pub.
And, for many of us, it is important, especially when you are negotiating with a seller and it is very easy to get caught up in the moment.
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And while it may be less expensive than before, after a quick Google search, Discogs research and a chinwag with various specialist auction houses, an idea led me to find Dark’s. Dark Round at the Edges The album, which sold for £19,000 at Omega Auctions in 2022.
“It’s more of an oddity of the mystical mind of the time than it is forward. When I listen to it, what strikes me is that, like most of these albums that are cult in some way, followed by huge financial power, how unmistakably ordinary and, to be brutal, it sounds boring!”
So, an album that most people have never heard and is, as Jerry says, “unmistakably mainstream” will sell for around twenty grand?
What makes darkness special?
Watch it open
Speaking to Omega Auctions Director of Operations and Assets, Dan Muscatelli-Hampson, the obvious starting point is the appearance of a rare album.
Only 12 copies of the original pressing were made, and the one that was originally auctioned was donated by one of the members of the British psychedelic rock band when it was first released in 1972.
“It was released in very limited quantities. This example, especially the black and white gate sleeve, was produced in only 12 copies. It has achieved cult status among collectors in the years since its release,” said Muscatelli-Hampson.
Muscatelli-Hampson added that, even with that in mind, the auction house initially considered it too low, and that album sales at this high level are still incredibly rare, even with the “Holy Grail” available as. Dark Round at the Edges.
“Before the sale, we put an estimate of £6,000-£10,000 on the record,” he explains, “this was based on our experience over the years of working with rare and important records. We always expected that we would probably beat that auction estimate on the day.
“A sale price of £19k and a limited edition of 12 is extremely rare. Most records are mass produced, and average prices are much lower than that. Collectors will pay premiums for records that were produced in small quantities or that didn’t sell well at the time, so there is less quality available in the market when these items are put together on the market. LP) – that’s where you can get into the ‘high end’ of the price bracket.”
Editor’s Note: I still have the LP of my university band, Sad Potato’s first album, which is self-titled. As far as I know, it’s the only one in existence, and I’m more than happy to part with it for a cool £19,000. I will sign for you.
But why this one in particular?
But aren’t there other albums as rare as this, from big name acts? That’s the question I was left with, the answer to which I still haven’t found.
On the phone with independent shop owners, I discovered that there is an important aspect, apart from its unusual appearance, that adds to the allure of rare vinyl. One, as Flashback Records CEO Mark Burgess notes, only makes sense if you’re in the fandom.
“In terms of your basic questions, there is a basic answer, which is market forces. A record is worth what someone will pay for it, mostly,” he said.
“Copies are sold very rarely, so when they do sell, there’s a frenzy about the sale and buyers get a lot of competition, which will drive up the auction prices. There are many other rare records that don’t command the same kind of price as Darkness.”
Burges goes on to point out that, in this sense, albums like Dark’s aren’t bought like traditional vinyl, and that as a trader it’s best to think of them as antiques, which will likely continue to rise in value.
“These artifacts are now over 50 years old and are starting to be valued as ‘antiques’. The type of person who spends £19,000 on an LP will probably never play it – maybe they just wanted it to be a trophy for their collection, to satisfy and impress their friends. They can also be sure that the price won’t drop anytime soon,” he said.
“The supply of these rare records is getting tighter as time goes on, and the rarity value of these items in good condition will increase. So the rare market is booming in many genres, not just ’70s Rock. Seven-inch reggae’, Delta blues 78s, ’90s rock and indie vinyl, Northern Soul are the best places for Soul behind that rarity.”
Steve Sexton, Senior Buyer at Sister Ray, echoes the sentiment, arguing that it’s mostly fandom and historical “ownership” like music.
“We’re all collectors, so the Black Album going for crazy prices is probably the pinnacle of that. There’s a lot of customers who will want the original matrix 1A/1B records, in the ’60s market in particular,” he said.
Is it worth it?
And this brings me to my final question: is an album really worth £19,000? Here, the answer is difficult. There are plenty of people willing to pay big bucks for the records they love. That’s clear when you look at the vinyl section of Omega Auctions, where many albums have sold for many years for many thousands.
But, is it worth it? Here, as a collector, I think there is no universal answer. As noted by the owner of Relevant Records, Andy Powell, it all depends on the individual record and the specific record you are looking at:
“There are a lot of Holy Grails kicking around, depending on what your bag is – it’s in the eye of the beholder.”
Do you agree? If so, which album would you be willing to part with big bucks? Let us know in the comments below, or on social media and platforms.
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