CDs and vinyl records were once considered outdated with the advent of MP3 players and smartphones. But now, there is a resurgence of interest in physical media due to nostalgia. This means that the CDs gathering dust in your collection could actually be worth a significant amount of money. Collectors are willing to pay top dollar for rare CDs, some of which were released in limited quantities or exclusively in other countries.
For example, Bruce Springsteen’s promo-only compilation album “The Future of Rock and Roll,” released in Japan in 1988, is now a highly sought-after collector’s item. With only one copy available for sale, it can fetch around £1.1k. Similarly, Prince’s Japan-only collection “My Name Was Prince,” with only 50 copies in existence, can command prices of up to £5k. Even Paris Hilton’s debut album “Paris” has become valuable, thanks to Banksy’s intervention in 2006, where he replaced copies of the album with his own artwork and remixes, resulting in prices ranging from £750 to an astonishing £8k.
Other valuable CDs include the first Now album on CD, “Now That’s What I Call Music 4,” of which only 500 copies were pressed. Original discs can still sell for £200-£400. Coldplay’s EP “The Safety,” released in 1998 with only 150 copies available for purchase, can fetch around £1.5k. Nirvana’s single “Pennyroyal Tea,” released in 1994 and later recalled after Kurt Cobain’s death, is now selling for £1.5k-£2k. Michael Jackson’s Austria-only CD single “Smile,” issued in 1997 and subsequently cancelled, is now worth around £1k-£1.5k. Finally, David Bowie’s “Sound + Vision” compilation, with only 350 copies made, sold for over £4k in 2013 and is currently selling for £70-£350.
These rare CDs are highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts, and if you happen to have any of them in your collection, you could be sitting on a goldmine. So, it might be worth digging through your old CDs to see if you have any hidden treasures. Good luck in your search for these valuable albums!
