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Prices have been rising rapidly recently and Czechs are starting to save more and more. At the same time, they often do not know that they have hidden treasures at home for tens to hundreds of thousands of crowns. Such a treasure is gramophone records, which have recently experienced an incredible increase in popularity. For rare pieces, people are willing to give huge sums.
Gramophone records have experienced their greatest glory in the last century. Gradually, however, they were replaced by cassettes and CDs, and today we can easily play music from the Internet. In recent years, however, gramophone records have returned to prominence, and contemporary musicians have also released their songs on records.
Not only are the new records selling well, but the decades-old pieces are especially valuable. The prices of some range from tens to hundreds of thousands of crowns. Rare pieces sell for millions.
In the Czech Republic, gramophone records were very popular, and many Czechs still have dozens of pieces hidden at home, on which only dust falls. Web finance101.com compiled a list of 40 old plates, whose prices go up to astronomical heights.
1) The Beatles, The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (1968)
You probably won’t find the most expensive vinyl record in a drawer at home. It is very special and there is only one piece. This is the very first pressed version of this album, which is marked with the serial number “A0000001”. For years, it was rumored that the late John Lennon had received the first copy, but in fact Ringo Starr had it. This piece, which was kept in a bank vault for 35 years, was sold during a charity auction for an incredible $ 790,000 (18.5 million crowns). Starr has invested in his own Lotus Foundation, a charity that provides support to victims of domestic violence, as well as research into cancer, the homeless, and other noble things.
Even if you do not own this original vinyl, even copies with low serial numbers will still have a high price – a copy of A0000023 was sold in 2012 for $ 13,750 (over 322 thousand crowns).
2) Aphex Twin aka Caustic Window, Caustic Window (1994)
Solitary and eccentric producer Richard D. James aka Aphex Twin recorded this album under the name Caustic Window, but decided to leave the project after only five copies were made. At least one version managed to escape into the world and appeared in 2014 with a price of $ 13,500 (over 315,000 crowns).
3) Prince, The Black Album (1987)
After recording this album and pressing 500,000 copies, the singer Prince decided to stop the release and paid the label to download all the recordings. Reason? The singer had a revelation that his record was “bad.” At that time, however, copies were already in circulation. The original and unopened piece was sold in 2018 for $ 42,300 (almost a million crowns).
4) Tommy Johnson, Alcohol And Jake Blues (1930)
This extremely rare record was once sold for $ 37,100 (approximately 900,000 crowns). It is assumed that no other version exists.
5) Bob Dylan, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963)
Sometimes a small mistake or imperfection is enough to significantly increase the price of a collector’s item. This is the case with this already valuable record. Several songs were to be replaced before release, but someone in the press overlooked the note, and several copies containing the wrong songs were pressed.
If your copy has a serial number that ends in -1A and contains these four tracks (but you’ll need to listen to them for confirmation, as they will be mislabeled): Rocks and Gravel, Let Me Die In My Footsteps, Gamblin ‘Willie’s Dead Man’s Hand and Talkin ‘John Birch Blues, so the recording could be worth $ 35,000 (over 820,000 crowns) or more. It is stated that there are less than 20 of these “defective” copies.
Bob Dylan, board The Freewheelin ‘Bob Dylan Source: Profimedia
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6) Frank Wilson, Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
Shortly after the recording, Frank Wilson reluctantly agreed with Motown founder Berry Gordy that he would be better suited for behind-the-scenes work and create hits for other artists. Gordy therefore ordered his moldings destroyed. It is said that only two copies have survived. One of them was sold at auction in 2009 for almost $ 34,000 (roughly 800,000 crowns).
7) The Velvet Underground, The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
The first moldings of The Velvet Underground’s debut recording sell for up to $ 2,799 (roughly 65,000 crowns). But one lucky Canadian record collector found a copy without a cover. In addition, it was a record that served as a rehearsal press and contained early versions of many songs. There are only two versions and one belongs to former drummer Velvet Underground Tucker. The collector eventually received $ 25,200 (almost 600,000 crowns).
8) The Five Sharps, Stormy Weather (1952)
This record is extremely rare (there are only three known copies) and in high demand – copies have been sold for up to $ 20,000 (half a million crowns). Ironically, sales of the original album were so low that members of the band had to buy their own copies.
9) The Rolling Stones, Street Fighting Man (1968)
Here is another album whose value has been increased by a controversial cover that has been self-censored by the record company. The original artwork for Street Fighting Man contained a black-and-white photograph of seemingly indifferent police officers standing over an injured protester. The name of the single and the name of the band were printed on it in large block letters at the top and bottom.
Just before the album was released, however, riots broke out in 1968 on the occasion of the Democratic Party’s national convention in Chicago. The record company therefore decided to be careful and ordered the recordings to be destroyed. About 18 records were somehow saved and one was auctioned in 2011 for $ 17,000 (over 400,000 crowns).
10) The Beatles, Yesterday and Today (1966)
The original cover of this record contained a photograph of John, Paul, George and Ring, dressed in butcher’s clothes, holding headless dolls with raw meat scattered on their laps. It can be said that the envelope was not well received. In fact, so much so that Capitol Records spent $ 250,000 (almost 6 million crowns) on the purchase of 750,000 recordings, which were printed and sent to stores.
But she couldn’t buy them all. The prices of these uncaptured pieces are now around $ 15,300 (approximately 358 thousand crowns).
The Beatles, album Yesterday and Today
Zdroj:
Profimedia
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You can find other boards with a very high price in the following table:
Source: TN.cz
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Gramophone records for Madonna, U2, Lady Gaga or Rolling Stones are also produced in the Czech Republic. Watch the report:
TN.cz
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