How to Sell Vintage Records

Know What You Have

• 1

  Go through your records and pull out the ones that you think are worth some money. Look for popular titles, landmark albums, or anything particularly old but in good shape. Make a list of these titles, and make a mental note of the other records you have, as well.

• 2

  Find a pricing guide. There are several available. You should be able to find them at your local library, bookstore, or online. "American Premium Record Guide" and "Official Price Guide to Records" are widely available and reasonable, accurate barometers of the current market on vinyl records.

• 3

  Set aside your most valuable records and sell them first. You can even take some less valuable ones and put them in a set with a higher priced one to move them more quickly.

Find the Buyer

• 4

  Find people who buy vintage records--they are all over the place, but you need to know where to look. EBay is an obvious choice, but it is often filled with thousands of records that have little to no value. Of course, you will find gems there, and if you have a gem to sell, chances are someone will find it.Online communities and forums dedicated to collecting vintage records are another great source of buyers. VinylFanatics.com and VinylEngine.com are two popular places to find buyers who are looking for the best.

• 5

  Sign up for an account, if necessary, once you've found the place (or places) that you want to sell your records. Many sites will allow you to have a free account--all you need is an email address.

• 6

  Post your sale. Be descriptive and thorough in your listing. A collector will want to know not only the content and condition of the record, but the condition of the sleeve and/or jacket. Most will want to know how often it has been played, and some will want to know what equipment it was played on. Of course, these kinds of details are usually reserved for serious collectors seeking highly valuable records.

Shipping

• 7

  Start packing the record(s) with extreme care after the buyer pays you (including shipping and handling charges).Get sturdy cardboard boxes with large sides. Cut out two panels of stiff cardboard just a bit bigger than the record's jacket. Sandwich the record between them. Use tape to hold the cardboard panels together.

• 8

  Wrap the cardboard sandwich you've just made in bubble wrap and pack it in a flat box big enough to provide a little room around the edges of the record. Fill the space on the edges with old newspaper, packing peanuts or any kind of soft packing material.

• 9

  Write very clearly the address of the buyer on the front and center of the package. Your return address goes in the upper left-hand corner of the package. Write "Fragile" very clearly on every visible surface of the package. The shipping service you use will do this as well, but at least you know you let them know.