The short answer
Sort your records, identify the exact pressing from the label, catalog number and runout etchings, and grade both the vinyl and the sleeve with a standard scale. Clean them safely, photograph the cover, labels and flaws, and check recent sold prices for the same pressing and grade. Sell valuable records individually and the rest in lots, and ship them out of their sleeves in a proper record mailer.
Step 1: sort the collection
Separate likely sellers from common titles. Look closer at original pressings of well-known albums, rare genres, limited and colored vinyl, records with inserts or posters, and anything still sealed. Widely sold easy-listening and later reissues of popular albums usually sell for little and suit lots.
Step 2: identify the pressing
Record the artist, title, label, catalog number and country, then read the runout etchings in the smooth area between the last track and the label. Label design, credits, the cover printer and inserts all help pin down the pressing. Matching these to an online discography database helps buyers find exactly what you have. Our guide to first pressings explains the clues.
Step 3: grade the vinyl and the sleeve
Most sellers use a standard grading scale, often called the Goldmine scale, with grades such as Mint, Near Mint, Very Good Plus, Very Good, Good and Poor. Grade the record and the cover separately, in good light, looking for scratches, scuffs, warps and label damage on the vinyl, and ring wear, seam splits, writing and stickers on the cover. Play-test valuable records and note any skips or noise. Grade conservatively; buyers return records that are worse than described.
Step 4: clean them safely
Use a carbon fiber brush for dust. For deeper cleaning, use a record cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth, or a record cleaning machine, moving with the grooves and keeping the label dry. Avoid household cleaners and tap water residue. Put cleaned records into new inner sleeves and store them upright.
Step 5: gather the extras
Original inner sleeves, inserts, posters, lyric sheets, stickers and hype stickers on the shrink wrap all matter to collectors. Note which are present, because missing inserts change a record's appeal.
Step 6: photograph them
- The front and back cover, in soft light without glare.
- Both labels, sharp and readable.
- The runout etchings, using low side light.
- The vinyl surface at an angle to show its true condition, and any flaws on the cover.
- Inserts and inner sleeves.
Step 7: research the value
Two copies of the same album can sell very differently by pressing and grade. Scan the record with WorthAI to identify the likely release and see an estimated worth with a range, a suggested asking price, a reading of buyer demand and the marketplace listings it found. Add a photo of the label or the back cover if it asks, or tap Refine Result. Then check recent sold prices for the same pressing in the same grade, not just the album title.
Step 8: choose where to sell
- Record marketplaces and discography databases with sales: buyers search by exact pressing.
- General marketplaces: a wide audience for singles and lots.
- Record stores: fast offers for the records they want, usually below a private sale.
- Record fairs and local selling: good for whole collections and common titles.
Step 9: write the listing
Include the artist, title, label, catalog number, country, year and format, then the vinyl and cover grades. Our listing title builder helps. In the description, list what you play-tested, flaws and what inserts are included.
Step 10: price it and count the fees
Price from recent sales of the same pressing and grade. Shipping is a big share of a low-value record sale, so use the resale profit calculator and consider lots or combined shipping.
Step 11: ship safely
Take the record out of the cover and put it in its inner sleeve next to the cover, or behind it, so the record cannot split the seams in transit. Use a sturdy record mailer with cardboard stiffeners on both sides. Check whether your postal service offers a lower media rate for records. Use tracking, and insurance for valuable records. Write "do not bend" on the package.
After the sale
Keep your photos and grading notes until the sale is final, and record what each pressing sold for to make pricing the rest easier.
Frequently asked questions
How do I grade a vinyl record?
Use a standard scale such as Mint, Near Mint, Very Good Plus, Very Good, Good and Poor. Grade the record and the cover separately in good light, and play-test valuable records.
Why do I need the runout etchings?
The codes etched near the label often identify the exact pressing. Two copies of the same album can sell very differently depending on which pressing they are.
Should I ship a record inside its cover?
Usually no. Take the record out and pack it next to the cover in its inner sleeve, so it cannot split the cover seams in transit.