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Many times the color of the vinyl can make a big difference in value. Sometimes the color of the record label can make all the difference. But in the case of “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley, it’s the color of the picture sleeve that counts. Released by RCA in 1956, a copy of the 45 with a black and pink picture sleeve is worth up to $100.00. With a green and black sleeve the value jumps up to $150.00. And a copy with a black and white picture sleeve can get you $200.00 today. The picture sleeves that came with many 45’s are worth more than the records! For more free samples click on “Mighty John’s Picture Sleeve Guide” in the yellow strip above. The guide lists the values for over 10,000 picture sleeves.

Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is the biggest selling album of all time. Who had the 2^nd biggest selling album of all time? That would be AC/DC with “Back in Black.” Rolling Stone magazine lists the album at #72 on its list of the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time. Taking their name from the initials of alternating current/direct current, AC/DC released the single “Flick of the Switch” from the “Back in Black” album in 1984 on Atlantic Records. A copy with picture sleeve can get you $100.00 today.

Marvin Lee Aday is better-known as Meat Loaf. His best known album, selling 34 million copies, is “Bat out of Hell,” containing the classics “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” and “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.” The “Bat out of Hell” album, released on Epic Records in 1977, is no more than $10.00, but in 1967 Meat Loaf was a member of a group called Popcorn Blizzard. Their 45, “Once Upon a Time,” released on Magenda Records, can get you $350.00 today.

Among the great Rock bands to come out of San Francisco was Quicksilver Messenger Service. Their 45 of “Stand by Me” can now sell for $300.00 with its picture sleeve. Their commercial appeal wasn’t as great as Jefferson Airplane and other top-40 psychedelic bands of the day but don’t tell that to their many fans throughout the world. Their self-titled album from 1968, released on Capitol Records, is worth up to $250.00 today thanks in part to the cover art by Rick Griffin.

These are records you should know about. Here’s more in our series of valuable “Northern Soul” records. Born in obscurity, they live to be among the biggest record collectibles. In 1968, Pzaaz Records released “Sweet Lover” by Fortson and Scott. An original copy is now worth up to $1,500.00. That same year, Mary Jane Hooper recorded “I’ve Got What You Need.” An original release of that 45 on the Power-Pac record label can sell for $4,000.00 today.

Records you should know about are records that most people have never heard by recording artists most people have never heard of BUT can be worth a LOT of money. Mighty John’s “Records You Should Know About” appraisal guide lists thousands of them, each worth at least up to $500.00 or more. Most are worth up to $1,000.00 or more. The “Records You Should Know About” appraisal guide is on a flash drive. Click on “Records You Should Know About” in the yellow strip above for more free samples.

Ray and Dave Davies formed the British Rock band, the Kinks.” From 1964-1967 they hit the Billboard Hot 100 nine times with hits like “You Really Got Me,” “All Day and All of the Night,” and “Well Respected Man.” All these singles can each fetch $40.00 now. In 1967, Reprise Records released the Kinks album, “Something Else.” A mono copy with a brown label is worth up to $100.00 but a copy with a pink, gold, and green label as seen here can get you $250.00 today.

On March 31,1958 a Rock and Roll anthem is released but it took a lyric change to make it one great classic. The line originally read “There lived a colored boy named Johnny B Goode.” The line you hear on Chuck Berry’s record is “There lived a country boy named Johnny B Goode.” The original 45 on Chess records can fetch $40.00. The 78 version is worth up to $200.00 today.

The Addams Family was only on TV for 2 years (1964-1966) but its star still shines bright in TV history. In 1964, RCA released the soundtrack album featuring such tunes as “Uncle Festus’ Blues,” “On Shroud #9,” “Hide and Shriek,” and “One Little, Two Little, Three Little Tombstones.” An original copy of “The Addams Family” soundtrack can sell for $150.00 today. “The Addams Family” is just one of the 10,000 soundtracks listed on our Soundtracks Flash drive, covering movies, TV shows, and Broadway shows. It’s available in the left hand column.

Without a doubt one of the founding fathers of 1950’s Rock N Roll was Big Joe Turner. Standing at 6’2’’ and weighing over 300 lbs., he was a force to be reckoned with when in 1954 he unleashed on an unsuspecting world the classic, “Shake, Rattle, and Roll,” with its risqué lyrics and unrelenting beat. The 45 on Atlantic Records can now sell for $200.00. In 1987 Big Joe was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1956 Atlantic Records released his debut album, “Boss of the Blues.” An original copy can get you $350.00 today.

Promo copies sent to radio stations can often be worth much more than the regular copies sold in stores. In 1970, Motown sent radio stations gold vinyl copies of “ABC” by the Jackson 5 in a sleeve that indicated that “ABC” had reached gold status faster than any record in the history of Motown. The promo gold vinyl single is worth up to $250.00 today. Add up to another $250.00 for the sleeve as seen here.

Promo records are those sent to radio stations, usually with the words “Not For Sale” or “Promotional Copy” printed on the label. Promos can often be worth a lot more than the regular copies sold in stores. “Mighty John’s Promo Records Guide” on a flash drive lists the values for all promo copies that are worth more than regular copies. You can see more samples and order the guide by clicking “Mighty John’s Promo Guide” in the yellow strip above.