News & Trending Collectibles

6 Vinyl Records From the '50s That Are Worth a Small Fortune

Could one of your old records help build your nest egg?

By Calista Headrick , Edited by Sara Albertelli

Updated Nov. 7, 2026

Add Us On Google

If you're a music aficionado, you might have already thought about using your old records to make money from home. But not every record commands an equal amount of money — and the variance can be dramatic with records from the 1950s.

For instance, well-worn copies of widely released albums might be worth pennies at most, in spite of their remarkable age. On the flip side, well-preserved rare editions of some of the earliest LPs ever pressed can bring in a staggering amount of money.

Keep reading to learn which, if any, 1950s records in your collection are worth having evaluated.

Download this gaming app that's paid out over $500 million

A company called Freecash has compiled all sorts of quick cash tasks from advertisers and market research companies. Freecash has paid out over $500 million to users since 2019, and has an "excellent" Trustpilot rating based on 300,000+ reviews.

Elvis Presley, "That's All Right/Blue Moon of Kentucky" misprint

Estimated market value: Up to $4,999

The first Presley album ever released on 7" vinyl was this double-sided single. The initial pressing by Memphis Plastic Products printed labels with the record number on the left-hand side (later pressings had the number, correctly, on the bottom-center of the record). The misprint also put the number 209 upside-down on the "Blue Moon" side of the record.

Collectors believe there are a very low number of misprinted copies, and many copies with the upside-down 209 were promos rather than wide releases. Online retailer Discogs lists the lowest price for one of these rare records as $1,999, the highest as $4,999, and the median price is $3,499.49.

Shopping for cheaper auto insurance? Enter your zip code here to get started.

John Coltrane, "Blue Train"

Estimated market value: Up to $1,000

Early jazz albums are among the most valuable, such as this Coltrane classic. The first stereo pressing of the album, specifically the one with a clear label address (reading "47 West 63rd - NYC") and notably deep grooves, is considered fairly valuable depending on condition. While Discogs notes that this album has sold for as little as $25 and that the median cost is around $100, it also records sales as high as $1,000.

Miles Davis, "Kind of Blue"

Estimated market value: Up to $1,200

Davis' famed 1959 album (which includes John Coltrane on the saxophone) had several pressings, including a relatively valuable misprint as part of its promo run. The original promotional mono release from Columbia misspelled alto saxophonist Julian Adderley's name as "Adderly" on both the front and back covers. It also listed the tracks on Side B in the wrong order, placing "Flamenco Sketches" ahead of "All Blues" instead of the other way around.

For the most part, these LPs sell for the low hundreds. Discogs' median price is $300, but it places the album's highest price point at $1,200.

Stop overpaying when you shop online

Tired of chasing coupon codes and comparing prices across tabs? Try Capital One Shopping — a free browser extension that scours the internet for coupons and flags better prices while you shop.

Add it today and you could stop overpaying!¹ <p>Capital One Shopping compensates us when you get the browser extension using the links we provided.</p>

Get Capital One Shopping now

Sonny Rollins, "Saxophone Colossus"

Estimated market value: Up to $2,400

Sonny Rollins' five-track LP is another valuable jazz classic from the second half of the 1950s. The first pressing shows the printer's address (West 50th Street) three times: on both labels as well as the back cover. If you own this edition of the vinyl, you'll also see the catalog number Prestige 7079 on the spine, plus the front and back of the record sleeve.

The five copies of this album currently for sale on Discogs range in price from $800 to $2,247. While the album's median price is around $350, the site also says it may go for as much as $2,400.

Elvis Presley, "My Happiness" demo

Estimated market value: $300,000

We only know of one recording of this LP, which was produced as a demo in 1952 and cost a young Elvis Presley just $4 to make. (The demo was reportedly the reason Sam Phillips of Sun Studios signed Elvis.) The only known copy was auctioned off by Elvis' estate to the tune of $300,000. The public later found out the mystery buyer was Jack White, who released his own studio's pressing of the album as a special edition for Record Store Day in 2015.

RCA Extended Play (EP)s

Estimated market value: $20+

When vinyl first hit the market in the early 1950s, two record labels, RCA and Columbia, developed different record formats: Columbia produced 12", full-length LPs, and RCA made 7" vinyl 45s. The 7" EPs had thin grooves, which means many may have worn out faster.

While individual EPs don't necessarily sell for much online (about $20 apiece based on condition), a collection with multiple EPs in relatively fair order could bring you some extra cash to round out your monthly budget.

Make Money: 8 things to do if you're barely scraping by financially

Bottom line

If you don't have any of these high-value items in your collection, you're in good company: these records' rarity is exactly what makes them so valuable, and fewer people have them than not. Still, that doesn't mean you can't use your records to get ahead financially. If you have boxes of well-preserved records without any standout 1950s LPs, consider taking them to an antique or thrift shop to get a bulk quote. You can also check online dealers like Discogs to get record-by-record prices to decide if selling in bulk is more valuable than selling individually.

More from FinanceBuzz: