“Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy” by Elton John debuted at #1 in 1975. This was a first not just for Elton John but for anyone. The Captain was Elton John. Lyricist Bernie Taupin was the Brown Dirt Cowboy and the theme of the album captured their early struggles in pursuing a musical career. The album, released on MCA Records, is worth up to $15.00 on black vinyl but a brown vinyl copy as seen here can get you $500.00 today.

(All the little things that can make a big difference in record values are described in detail in Mighty John’s “Record Appraisal Guide,” available in the left column.)