Jack White made headlines when he announced that he was the bidder who spent $300,000 for the acetate of Elvis Presley's original single, a 7" pressing from Sun Records featuring "My Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin," and that his label Third Man Records would be releasing copies of the recording for Record Store Day 2015. That album was sold at a formal auction but you don't have to go that far for expensive vinyl: eBay has plenty of mind-boggling LPs up for sale. One example was the man who paid $37,100 for a copy of Tommy Johnson's "Alcohol and Jake Blues" during 2013. As Music Times hit publish, here are the seven records with bids of more than $1,000 on eBay at the moment, ranked from least to most expensive.
07) "Under My Skin" / "You Don't Love Me" by Mighty Sparrow...$1,010 from 12 bids
Nicki Minaj might be the most popular performer from Trinidad at the moment but Slinger "Mighty Sparrow" Francisco has her beat for the most expensive records. This 7" single from the Calypso icon features the tracks "Under My Skin," a song that actually gained popularity in the United States under the names of Frank Sinatra and most notably Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The seller lists it as the "Holy Grail of Calypso!" and is charging a mere $4 for shipping. Hopefully you don't mind the name of the original owner, "Joyce," being scribbled on the inner label.
06) "Love Can Be" / "I'll Let You Slide" by The Saints...$1,025 from nine bids
There's little information to be found online regarding The Saints or the Wigwam label, except that this 7" single was the only recording the soul band released on Wigwam in the United States. The A-side is described by a seller as a "sweet soul ballad" while the B is a "more uptempo track that should appeal to northern soul enthusiasts." Whatever it is, it sure appeals to the online buyers: Another copy of the single was reported sold for $3,273 during 2014.
05) "Please, Please Me" / "From Me To You" by The Beatles...$1,084 from 50 bids
Everywhere you go for vinyl, from auction houses to the internet, original releases from The Beatles are understandably going to create quite a hubbub. Not necessarily because of rarity but because of demand. As you can see, 50 bids have already been placed for this single, described not by the seller but by the record sleeve as "THE RECORD THAT STARTED 'BEATLEMANIA'." Especially notable and appealing to collector's is the before-and-after calendar included on this promotional item, noting that the band had just played the Jack Paar Show and was heading to Ed Sullivan in less than a month. Yeah...that Ed Sullivan appearance.
04) Beethoven Violin Concerto by Leonid Kogan...$1,099 from five bids
Sometimes high prices really are based on rarity. This release was pressed in the UK during 1960, featuring Ukrainian virtuoso Leonid Kogan playing a Beethoven violin concerto with the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra. Kogan's five vinyl recordings are reported as being among the most sought-after for classical collectors. This listing is actually at cut-rate pricing...the very same Beethoven Concerto recording sold for $10,010 during 2013.
03) J.S. Bach: The Unaccompanied Violin Sonatas by Johanna Martzy...$1,225 from 5 bids
This rarity, like the previous classical listing, is also shipping a British Columbia record out of Germany. The seller writes that "my record collection has grown too big so I have decided to sell some doubles." Oh what problems to have...multiple copies of a record that may fetch more than $1,225. Part of the demand might be Martzy's presence, one of the more underrated performers of the violin to be sure, and another may be the "NM" (near mint) listing.
02) Meddle (Blue) by Pink Floyd...$2,025 from 48 bids
More often than not, the most sought after and expensive eBay records are older, not prettier. Although the trend of coloring vinyl and creating unique packaging is certainly driving the current vinyl craze, a few acts employed similar methods during the glory days as well. Pink Floyd may be better known for The Dark Side of The Moon or Wish You Were Here, but hardcore collectors are going to go nuts for the lesser known (and lesser appreciated) releases such as the more cult classic Meddle. The fact that this original pressing was blue and not typical black amplifies the demand...just as it would with any modern limited release.
01) "It's All Over (Baby)" / "And When It's All Over" by United Sounds...$3,500 from 20 bids
Ebay user 1stVerse is having a good week it seems. The same cat that offered the aforementioned Saints record for $1,025 has more than one-upped themselves with this 7" single from United Sounds, a mini-compilation from the United Records company (not the blues/jazz label out of Chicago, but rather the similarly titled imprint out of Columbia, SC). This 45 has also generated plenty of interest in the past, but it looks like the current listing has broken the record-the highest total prior to this was a copy selling for $3,248 during 2012.
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