Selling Vinyl Records: 6 Ways Compared and What Your Records Can Bring

In short: The easiest way to sell vinyl records is to a record dealer or buying service. You will usually get the most by selling individually to collectors, for example on online marketplaces. Selling individually mainly pays off for sought-after pressings in good condition. For large or mixed collections, selling to a buyer is often the better choice, because you don't have to identify, photograph and ship every record yourself.

At Devinylhunter-Records we have been checking used records week after week since 2013. Here we show you which options there are in Germany, what they cost and how to get a fair result, even if you don't end up selling to us.

Where can you sell vinyl records?

These six options are available in Germany. Fees and terms vary by provider, so check them before you sell.

Option	Best for	Effort	Cost	What to know
Record dealer / buyer	Whole collections, mixed stock	Low	No fees	The price is below the later shop price, because the dealer checks, stores and resells the records.
Online record marketplace	Individual sought-after pressings	High	Usually a sales commission, payment costs may apply depending on the payment method	You have to identify the exact pressing, grade the condition and ship it yourself.
Auction platform	Sought-after records	Medium to high	Depends on the platform and seller status, optional extras may cost more	Photos, shipping and possible complaints are up to you.
Classifieds site	Collections for local pickup	Medium	Basic ads are usually free, check the terms first	Expect price negotiation and arranging appointments.
Barcode buying portal	Newer records with a barcode	Low	Fixed price, shipping costs depend on the provider	The price is based on the barcode. Sleeves from the 60s and 70s generally don't have one.
Flea market	Cheap records in larger numbers	High	Stall fee depending on the market	It takes time, and there is no telling what will sell.

How much do old records sell for?

It almost always depends on the exact edition and the condition, not on age. Many LPs from the 70s and 80s were pressed in the millions and now bring only a few euros. A 2021 report by the German news agency dpa on old records and CDs was headed “Centbeträge sind die Regel” (cents are the norm). Individual sought-after pressings, on the other hand, are worth considerably more.

That is why we deliberately don't quote a flat price per record. With a collection, what matters is how many sought-after records it contains and what condition the rest is in. Our guide How to Spot Valuable Vinyl Records shows what collectors look for.

How do I find out what my records are worth?

1. Identify the exact edition: Compare the catalogue number, label and the matrix number in the run-out groove with the entries in an online record database.
2. Look at prices actually paid: Check what was actually paid recently, not current listings. Asking prices are often set too high.
3. Grade the condition honestly: Assess record and sleeve separately, for example using the Goldmine standard. A Near Mint record can fetch many times the price of a Good copy of the same pressing.

Should I sell records individually or as a whole collection?

Either can be right. These questions will help you decide:

• Do you have just a few sought-after records and some time? Then selling individually often brings more.
• Is it a lot of records or an estate? Then one offer for everything is usually the easier route. Selling every record individually can easily take weeks.
• Don't know what you have? Have the collection assessed before you take out individual records or dispose of the rest.

If you sell the best records individually, you are often left with a remainder that is hard to sell. That is no reason not to sell individually, but you should plan for it.

How do I prepare records for sale?

• Make a list: Artist, title, format and an approximate number are enough to start with.
• Take photos: Front and back of the sleeve, the label and any visible damage.
• Check completeness: Put inner sleeves, posters and other inserts back with their records. They can affect the value.
• Sort by condition: Mention audible scratches, warping, sleeve tears and water damage from the start.
• Don't throw anything away too soon: Even an unremarkable sleeve can hold a sought-after pressing.

What mistakes should I avoid when selling?

• Taking asking prices for real prices. What counts is what buyers actually pay.
• Overgrading the condition. When selling individually, this quickly leads to complaints.
• Assuming old means valuable. Age alone doesn't make a record valuable.
• Underestimating the sleeve. Collectors often care about it as much as the record.
• Getting only one offer. With larger collections in particular, it pays to compare.

How does selling to Devinylhunter work?

1. Get in touch by phone, WhatsApp, email or the form and briefly describe what you'd like to sell, ideally with photos.
2. We review your offer. The price depends on condition, genre and format.
3. You receive a fair offer and can then decide at your own pace. It is non-binding for you.
4. If you accept, you can hand the records over in Bonn-Bad Godesberg, we can pick up your collection from you, or you can send it by post. For handovers and pickups, we pay in cash, and for records sent by post, by bank transfer.

We prefer rock, progressive and psychedelic rock, punk, new wave and indie, metal, soul, funk and disco, soundtracks, reggae, hip hop, and electronic and ambient. At the moment we don't buy Schlager, folk music, opera and hit compilations, or records with major scratches, torn sleeves or water and moisture damage. You'll find all the details on our selling your records page.

From practice

I have been collecting records myself since I was 12. One of my best finds was in an estate of around 300 jazz LPs: a German pressing of Dusko Goykovich's “Swinging Macedonia” from 1967, a record much in demand among jazz collectors. Finds like this show why it is worth going through a collection record by record before valuing it as a whole.

FAQ

Where can you sell old records?
To record dealers and buying services, on online marketplaces and auction platforms, through classifieds sites, at flea markets and, for records with a barcode, also through buying portals. A dealer is usually easiest for whole collections, while selling to collectors often brings more for individual sought-after records.

How much money can you get for old records?
Anything from a few cents or euros for common records to considerably more for sought-after pressings. What matters is the exact edition, demand and the condition of record and sleeve.

What can you ask for an LP?
Go by the prices actually paid for the same edition, for example in the sales history of an online marketplace, and by your copy's condition. Current asking prices are not a good guide.

Which old records are sought after?
Mainly early original pressings by popular artists, small runs, promo and test pressings, and editions with special features such as withdrawn sleeves, in each case in good condition.

Do you also buy individual records?
Yes, we buy everything from individual rarities to complete collections, archives and shop clearances. Photos and a short list help us make an offer quickly.

Can you pick up my records?
Yes, we pick up collections from sellers and also accept records by post. Please arrange pickup or shipping with us in advance.

How do you pay for the records you buy?
For handovers in Bonn-Bad Godesberg and for pickups, we pay in cash. Records you send by post are paid for by bank transfer.

What do I do with records nobody wants to buy?
You can give them away, sell them cheaply at a flea market or donate them to a charity shop. Disposal is regulated by your local waste authority, so ask there if in doubt.

Want to know what your collection could bring? Send us a few photos and a short list via our selling your records page. Our offer is non-binding.