selling second hand vinyl records

Yo—ever dig through your uncle’s garage in Jersey and stumble on a crate of dusty wax that smells like old leather and teenage rebellion? That, my friend, is the holy grail of selling second hand vinyl records. Nah, seriously—while everyone’s doomscrolling TikTok, real heads are spinning analog gold that *literally* can’t be streamed. We’re talkin’ sealed ‘60s pressings, promo test pressings, or that one-off indie 7” from a band that broke up before MySpace died. Clean, rare vinyl? Could net you rent money—or a down payment on a beater Camry. So if you’re sleepin’ on that basement stash like it’s last week’s leftovers… wake up, buttercup. Selling second hand vinyl records ain’t a hobby—it’s a side hustle with *groove*.

Listen—if you wanna win at selling second hand vinyl records, first you gotta play *vinyl triage*. Think of it like Yelp reviews for wax: nobody trusts a 5-star claim with no pics and sketchy vibes. The grading scale’s standardized (Mint to Poor), but let’s keep it real: if it looks like it survived a frat party in a U-Haul, it ain’t VG+. And no—*“it plays fine in my car deck”* ain’t a grade. Buyers’ll ghost faster than your DMs after midnight. Here’s the cheat sheet:

Still unsure? Snap a clear pic and toss it in r/vinyl or the Discogs forums—those folks’ll tell you straight, no fluff. And trust me, they *will* roast you if you call a VG record “NM.” Save face, grade right.

Let’s cut the crap: slappin’ a blurry pic on OfferUp with “$20 OBO” ain’t how you win. For real-deal returns in selling second hand vinyl records, you go where the nerds *and* the big spenders live: **Discogs** (the holy grail), **eBay** (for broad reach), and niche spots like **Reverb LP** or even Instagram flea markets (yes, that’s a thing now). Discogs? Killer—ratings, feedback, *and* a built-in price history tool. Facebook groups? Fine for local flips—but *always* post full pics, catalog #, and *no* vague “vintage vibes” nonsense. Be transparent, or get ignored. Period.

“Dude—it’s *Abbey Road*! That’s gotta be worth, like, $500, right?” 🙄 Nope. Pressing year? Label? Country? That US Capitol reissue from ‘89? $15. The UK Parlophone *first* pressing from ’69? More like $1,200—if it’s sealed. For legit intel in selling second hand vinyl records, hit the **Discogs Price Guide** like it’s your crypto portfolio. Type in the catalog number (e.g., SD-1812 for *Rumours*), pick the pressing, and boom—real-time sold data. Pro tip: check the “*lowest ask*” *and* “*median*” to avoid lowballing—or delusionally overpricing. Knowledge = profit. Ignorance = unsold inventory.

Not all wax flips fast. That “Motivational Speeches for Salesmen” LP from ‘73? Yeah… good luck. But if your crate’s packin’:

• Psychedelic Rock – Think obscure San Fran garage bands or rare bootlegs from the Fillmore era
• Jazz Fusion – Miles Davis’ *Bitches Brew* (Columbia, 1970)? Instant flex. Herbie, Zawinul, Mahavishnu? Cha-ching.
• Japanese City Pop – Tatsuro Yamashita’s *Ride on Time*? Up 300% since ‘22 thanks to TikTok Gen Zers vibin’ in their Honda Civics.
• Punk & Post-Punk – Original UK pressings of *Unknown Pleasures* or *London Calling*? Collector catnip.
• Soul & Funk – Stax, Motown B-sides, or rare P-Funk promos? $500–$1K easy if it’s the real deal.

Moral of the story? Don’t dump that garage sale haul just yet. One rare 12” in that bin could cover your next oil change—or your whole Spotify subscription for life.

Don’t be *that* seller. Biggest blunders? ✅ Selling grimy records (mold = instant 70% value slash) ✅ Wild pricing (“vintage = valuable” ≠ true—sorry, but your 2010 Taylor Swift reissue ain’t rare) ✅ Ignoring fees (Discogs takes ~9%, eBay ~13%—*after* PayPal? Oof.) And worst of all: lying about condition. One “NM” listing with a spindle hole crack? One-star review, dead profile. Keep it 100, or don’t bother.

Photos make or break the sale—no cap. For selling second hand vinyl records, you need: • Front cover (no glare—*please*) • Back cover (show seam splits if they’re there) • Label close-up (catalog #, matrix runout = gold) • Any flaw (scratches, ring wear, water stains—*yes, show ‘em*). Natural light only. No filters. No “mood lighting” from your lava lamp. And if it’s got the OG inner sleeve, hype it—it’s like finding the charger *and* box for an old Game Boy. Bonus points = more cash.

“Record arrived looking like a Pringle.” — worst review ever. Don’t be that guy. Proper vinyl shipping: 1. Remove record from sleeve, place between two pieces of stiff cardboard 2. Slide into anti-static inner sleeve (or at least a clean poly sleeve) 3. Wrap in bubble mailer *then* stiff cardboard mailer (or small box) 4. Label it: **FRAGILE — DO NOT BEND — VINYL INSIDE** (seriously, USPS *will* try). Use USPS Media Mail for cheap shipping—but *insure* anything over $100. A $2 insurance fee beats a $300 claim nightmare.

Short answer: Hell yeah—but not all of ‘em. If it looks like it lived through Woodstock (and a few house fires), probably not. But first pressings? Promo copies? Limited indie runs from labels that folded in 2003? Those can print money. Ex: • *The Velvet Underground & Nico* (1967, banana cover, peelable) — $3,000+ • *My Bloody Valentine – Loveless* (UK Creation, 1991) — $800+ sealed • *Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)* (Loud Records promo white label) — $1,500 So yeah—if you think selling second hand vinyl records is just clearing clutter? Nah. You might be sitting on a silent retirement plan.

Here’s the tea: not every record’s a flip-and-dash situation. Found an *early* pressing of *In Rainbows* on XL Recordings before it blew up? *Hold.* Values spike 2–5 years post-cult-hit status. But that *Stranger Things* soundtrack reissue from Target? Flip it *now*—it’s already peaked. And beware *reissues*: most modern pressings (even “180g”) rarely appreciate unless it’s a *limited* run (e.g., “Record Store Day exclusive” with a serial #). In selling second hand vinyl records, timing + storytelling = profit. That record’s not just wax—it’s a time capsule. Sell the *vibe*, not just the vinyl.

Want more real-deal intel? Hit up Dj Quickie Mart for the freshest vinyl drops and market buzz. Dive deeper by genre at Genres. And if you’re ready to turn your crate-digging into cold hard cash, don’t miss our deep-dive: Old Vinyl Record Prices What They Really Worth—your attic might just become your ATM.

References

• https://www.discogs.com/help/pricing-and-sales
• https://www.vinylwaffle.com/how-to-sell-vinyl-records
• https://www.recordcollectorsguild.org/vinyl-grading-guide
• https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/vinyl-records-selling-tips
• https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/vinyl-record-market-boom-1234567890/