As more listeners embrace the modern vinyl renaissance, fans around the world are increasingly on the hunt for the coolest wax to spin. We’d all love to find that hidden first pressing of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band at the local record shop, but the rarest vinyl on Earth isn’t actually for listening. The world’s most sought-after records are often priced at hundreds of thousands of dollar, not because of the way the sound, but because they’re tangible representations of music history.
In celebration of these relics, we compiled a list of some of the most expensive and droolworthy vinyl (and some shellac) records ever pressed. Below is a list of the rarest, strangest, and just-plain-coolest cuts ever pressed. If you’re new to the world of vinyl, don’t get discouraged by the outlandish price tags — building your own collection is far more attainable, and we have plenty of resources to get you there, including tips on how to properly store and care for your record collection, as well as how to build a killer turntable setup of your own using the best record players and phono preamps out there.
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