Every few weeks, someone calls the shop and says, “My dad passed away and left behind a bunch of records. Are they worth anything?” It’s a conversation that requires honesty and sensitivity, because the answer is almost always more complicated than people expect.

Here’s the straightforward guide to selling a record collection in Australia.

Step One: Set Realistic Expectations

The hard truth is that most record collections are not worth what their owners think. The albums that were massively popular — Fleetwood Mac, ABBA, Eagles, Billy Joel — were pressed in enormous quantities, and supply far exceeds demand. A well-worn copy of Rumours isn’t worth $50, no matter what Nana paid for it in 1978.

That said, some collections contain genuine gold. Australian pressings of certain albums, particularly from the 1960s-80s, can be valuable. First pressings of classic albums in excellent condition command premiums. And obscure releases that didn’t sell well initially sometimes become sought-after collector’s items.

The key variables are: condition (everything), scarcity (how many copies exist), and demand (does anyone actually want it).

Step Two: Identify the Potentially Valuable Records

Before you price the whole collection, pull out anything that might be worth researching individually:

• First pressings of classic albums — Check the matrix numbers in the runout groove (the blank area between the last track and the label). Cross-reference with Discogs to identify the pressing.
• Australian-only releases — Records that were only pressed in Australia are often more valuable than their international equivalents.
• Records on small or defunct labels — Independent and boutique label releases from the 70s-80s can be surprisingly valuable.
• Anything in sealed or near-mint condition — Condition is the biggest value multiplier. A sealed copy of a common album is worth dramatically more than an opened one.
• Genre-specific collector targets — Australian jazz, prog, electronic, and punk from the 70s-80s have dedicated collector markets.

Step Three: Use Discogs for Pricing

Discogs is your best pricing reference. Search for each record, identify the specific pressing (country, label, matrix numbers), and look at the “last sold” prices in the marketplace. Ignore the “for sale” prices — those reflect what people are asking, not what people are paying.

Filter by condition grade that matches your copy. A VG+ record and a NM record can differ in price by 50% or more.

Your Selling Options

Sell to a Record Store

Pros: Fast. One transaction. No hassle with individual buyers.

Cons: You’ll get less than market value. Shops need to buy at a price that allows them to resell at a profit, which typically means 30-50% of retail value for desirable stock, and less for common titles.

I buy collections regularly, and I’m always upfront about pricing. If a collection has 200 records and I want 40 of them, I’ll make a fair offer on the ones I want and suggest what to do with the rest. Some shops will only buy the whole lot, which sometimes means accepting a lower per-record price.

Sell on Discogs

Pros: Access to a global market. You set your own prices. Best return on valuable individual records.

Cons: Time-consuming. You need to list each record individually, photograph it, grade it, package it, and handle shipping. For a large collection, this can take weeks or months of work.

Good option for valuable records worth $30+ individually. Not practical for common records worth $5-10.

Sell on Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree

Pros: Local sales, no shipping required. Can sell as a lot.

Cons: Lowball offers are constant. Buyers may not show up. Limited to your geographic area.

Sell at a Record Fair

Pros: Access to serious collectors. Cash transactions. Can sell in bulk and individually.

Cons: Table fees ($50-150 typically). You need to be there all day. Requires setup and transport.

Donate

If the collection isn’t valuable enough to justify selling, consider donating to a community radio station, a local library, or an op shop. Community radio stations in particular often have record libraries and will put donated vinyl to genuine use.

What Not to Do

Don’t sell the entire collection as a lot on Gumtree for $200 without checking it first. I’ve heard stories of rare Australian pressings worth hundreds of dollars being sold in bulk lots for pocket change because nobody checked.

Don’t clean records with household products before selling. A well-intentioned clean with the wrong materials can damage records and reduce their value.

Don’t throw anything away without checking. The most boring-looking records sometimes turn out to be the most valuable. An unassuming jazz LP from a small Australian label in 1975 might be worth more than the flashy rock records surrounding it.

Getting Help

If you’re not a collector and you’re dealing with an inherited collection, consider paying a knowledgeable person to assess it before you sell. Some record shops offer this service. I do informal assessments for people, and I’ll always tell you if something’s worth more than what I can offer.

For large collections, some sellers are using AI-powered tools to help with identification and pricing research. Their AI agency has worked with secondhand dealers to build image-recognition systems that can identify pressings from label photos, which speeds up the assessment process significantly.

Selling a collection with respect and proper research honours the person who built it. Take your time, do the homework, and you’ll get a fair result.