How to Sell Damaged Vinyl Records

Damaged vinyl records are still worth selling — typically £1 to £10 at For Parts, against £3 to £40 undamaged.

Can you sell vinyl records that are damaged?

Yes. Damaged stock has its own buyers: people who repair and restore, people who want the material rather than the object, and people who want a cheaper one and do not mind a flaw. Nobody should be surprised when it arrives.

The damage buyers look for on vinyl records

These are the flaws that move vinyl records down the grades, and the ones a buyer will check first:

Deep scratches that cause skipping or repeated clicks
Warping, which is often visible only when laid flat
Split or taped seams on the sleeve
Later repressings sold as originals, which buyers check

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £1 to £18. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £1 to £10. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.

Working out what you actually have

Establish the flaw properly rather than guessing at it:

Check the run-out groove near the label for matrix and pressing codes
Hold the record to the light at an angle to see scratches properly
Lay it flat on a level surface to check for warp

Photographing the flaw

Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:

The front sleeve, straight on, filling the frame
The back sleeve, showing the catalogue number and track listing
The vinyl itself out of the sleeve, angled to show surface condition under light
The label and the runout matrix etching, plus any inserts

What to state in the listing

Alongside the flaw itself, buyers of damaged vinyl records want these confirmed:

Artist, title, catalogue number and matrix or runout number
Pressing country and year, and whether it is a first pressing or a reissue
Media grade and sleeve grade, stated separately
Whether inner sleeves, inserts or posters are present

Artist, title, and pressing detail: “Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon, 1973 UK 1st Press, Harvest SHVL 804”. Collectors search by catalogue number and pressing, not just album title. Grade the record and the sleeve separately using standard grading, and put the grades in the description.

What buyers will ask

Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:

“What pressing is it?”

Read the matrix number and the catalogue number and give both. This is what separates a common reissue worth a few pounds from an original worth a great deal.

“How does it play?”

Play it if you can and say whether there are audible clicks or jumps. Visual grading is a starting point; a play-tested grade is worth far more to a buyer.

“Are the inserts included?”

Check inside the sleeve. Original inners, posters and lyric sheets add real value on collectable pressings and their absence should be stated.

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where it is cheap and visibly well done — a clumsy repair costs more than the flaw it hides. What lifts the price:

First pressings and early matrix numbers over later repressings
Sleeves free of ring wear, splits and writing
Any original inserts, posters or inner sleeves
Records that play cleanly with no persistent surface noise

If the work would cost more than the gap between £10 and what sound ones fetch, sell them as they are damaged and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Steady all year, with collectors active constantly. Common pressings sell slowly and cheaply; scarce originals in good grade sell almost immediately.

Getting it to the buyer

Post in a proper record mailer, never a padded envelope, with the vinyl outside the sleeve to prevent seam splits. Poor packaging is the main cause of record disputes and it is entirely avoidable.

WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Ready to list them? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full vinyl records selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell damaged vinyl records?

Yes. Damaged vinyl records typically are worth £1 to £10 against £3 to £40 undamaged, and there is a real market in repair, restoration and craft stock. Deep scratches that cause skipping or repeated clicks

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where the repair is cheap and visibly done well. What buyers pay for is first pressings and early matrix numbers over later repressings — a repair that draws attention to the flaw can leave you worse off.

How should I describe the damage?

Precisely, with a photograph of the flaw itself. Read the matrix number and the catalogue number and give both. This is what separates a common reissue worth a few pounds from an original worth a great deal. Vague wording is what produces the message asking for a refund.