Elvis Presley’s legacy continues to shine, not only through his timeless music but also through the value of his vinyl records. In this article, we explore the ten most valuable vinyl records by Elvis Presley, shedding light on what makes these Elvis records worth money. From rare editions to unique pressings, these records are coveted by collectors and fans alike. Join us as we delve into the history and market value of these prized Elvis records, uncovering the fascinating details that contribute to their high worth and enduring appeal in the world of vinyl.
Table of Contents
- 1. His Hand in Mine
- 2. Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite
- 3. Speedway – Mono
- 4. Moody Blue
- 5. Elvis Presley Self Titled
- 6. Can’t Help Falling In Love – 33 RPM Limited Edition
- 7. That’s All Right – Sun Records Misprint
- 8. Elvis’ Christmas Album
- 9. Good Luck Charm
- 10. My Happiness
- Final Tones
- FAQs Elvis Records Worth Money
1. His Hand in Mine
Value: Around $2500
The fifth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, His Hand in Mine was released on November 23 1960 by RCA Victor in mono and stereo, the first of three gospel albums that Presley would issue during his lifetime.
Presley had a lifelong, fundamental love of church music, and often used it to rehearse and loosen up before concerts and at the beginning of recording sessions. This fits well with the plans of Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, to steer his client into a family-friendly image as he switched Presley’s career concentration toward movie stardom in Hollywood.
“His Hand In Mine” is originally a gospel song written by Mosie Lister and first recorded by the Statesmen Quartet in 1953. Presley’s version was recorded and released to much acclaim and has since gone on to achieve cult status among those who are fond of his gospel work.
2. Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite
Value: Around $3500
At base, this is a recording of Elvis performing a concert at the Honolulu International Center and broadcasting the sounds outward to audiences across Asia and Oceania via satellite in early 1973.
Presley was keen for his world tour to return through the United States and so arranged a deal with RCA Records and the NBC network to produce a gig that would help to benefit the Kui Lee Cancer Fund.
As rare vinyl records go, this is certainly up there. In particular, a specific version of the record sports a ‘Chicken of the Sea’ sticker. This version of the Elvis Presley LP is worth more, averaging around $3500 when sold.
This sticker, though nothing especially important, is yellow and comes in the shape of the planet of Saturn which subsequently displays promotional information about the live event itself. The American Seafood company sponsored this record too, hence why it is so proudly labeled as the Chicken of the Sea.
3. Speedway – Mono
Value: Around $5000
Originally soundtracking the 1968 feature film Speedway, this mono LP has gone on to occupy a special place in the hearts of many collectors of Elvis vinyl records. Initially released by RCA Victor and featuring the talented Nancy Sinatra alongside Presley himself, this record quickly became a great collector’s item among Elvis Presley records.
As far as his commercially released albums go, this is undoubtedly one of his rarest and, thus, most highly sought-after. This is, however, mostly the case for the mono version.
The stereo version is comparatively far easier to locate than the mono version which goes for about $5000 depending on the quality of the disc and the condition it has been kept in after all these years. In terms of rare Elvis records, this one sure is a keeper.
4. Moody Blue
Value: Around $5000
Far from Elvis’s early heyday penning and re-releasing songs like “Jailhouse Rock” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love”, this is his 24th and final studio album, released in July 1977 only four weeks before his death.
A curious blend of live performances with studio efforts, the album included tracks from several different sessions, likely a result of his various ailments that seemed to plague him at the end of his life.
The first copies of this album printed in America were pressed straight onto limited edition translucent blue vinyl, though there are other gold, red, white, and green colored vinyl records from the same time which are valued at around $1200.
The most sought-after is the pressing which is imbibed onto a splash purple disc, going for approximately $5000 when sold. Whether or not colored vinyl sounds worse is another question, though there is no doubt that these discs go for a hell of a lot of money.
5. Elvis Presley Self Titled
Value: Around $6000
A variation of the classic self-titled debut LP, the Most Talked About New Personality is a rarer beast altogether, perhaps setting a new world record for the rarest debut album. This is one of the Elvis golden records, variants and reissues of which can be found in many, many record stores.
This is more specifically a promotional version of this classic album pressed onto two discs with three songs per side. The same front cover photo is used – a raucous image of Presley performing live – albeit edited with a strange green tint and a caption that labels him as “the most talked-about personality in the last ten years of music”.
With an approximate worth of around $6000, you might want to consider letting this record go if you own and are in need of some cash. This is a vinyl record that is often worth more to someone else.
6. Can’t Help Falling In Love – 33 RPM Limited Edition
Value: Around $8000
This single, originally released in 1961 from Presley’s album Blue Hawaii, is now one of his signature tracks, even despite the fact that neither he nor his songwriting team penned it. This record was immensely popular at the time, selling over a million copies in its original 45 rpm version.
There is, however, an alternate version of the album that exists which is intended to be played at 33 rpm. While the original 45 rpm version will scarcely be worth anything since it was so incredibly popular at the time, the 33 rpm version of Elvis Presley’s hit song is worth around $8000.
This is, of course, if the record itself is in mint condition and comes with the accompanying ‘hula’ sleeve, so don’t get your hopes up too quickly.
7. That’s All Right – Sun Records Misprint
Value: Around $15,000
Even before his debut self-titled album, there was his debut single “That’s All Right”, recorded and released in July 1954 and featuring “Blue Moon of Kentucky” on the B-side. Originally released on the now legendary Sun Records label, this was at a time when Sun was still a relatively unassuming little label in Memphis before publications like Rolling Stone would include several of their releases on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.
Original pressings of the record are worth quite a bit in and of themselves. However, there exist misprints of the album which are worth even more. Keen as Sun record producer Sam Phillips was to get the single out, he didn’t notice that the B-side catalog number 209 was printed upside down.
Since this error was eventually realized and corrected, these rarer versions fetch a considerable sum, often in the region of $15,000.
8. Elvis’ Christmas Album
Still relatively early on in his recording career, Presley’s third studio album just happens to be his first Christmas album. Spending four weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, this record has since gone on to sell over 17 million copies in the United States alone, at least according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
Many rare copies of the original pressing will tend to feature a red booklet/album cover along with promotional photos from Presley’s third movie Jailhouse Rock.
Rarer versions of the album have, however, come with even more goodies, including a gold foil price tag-shaped sticker that seeks to bridge the gap between gift-giver and gift-recipient. This tag reads “TO ___, FROM ____, ELVIS SINGS.”
If you are lucky enough to have an original mint copy – as evinced by gold stickers, red vinyl, and red album covers, with gold print down the spine – then you have a very valuable record in your hands worth something like $18,000.
9. Good Luck Charm
Value: Around $24,000.
Published gladly by his publishing company Gladys Music, Presley’s single “Good Luck Charm” galloped to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 list in April 1962, remaining at the top of the charts for two weeks. Nothing particularly amazing about that, though, considering Presley’s fame and fortune.
No, the real significance and value of this record have to do with it being a mono record and its surrounding context. In fact, this was one of the last major mono records available in record stores before the stereo revolution took hold and shook popular music from the ground up.
Featuring “Anything That’s Part of You” on the B-side, this single is ultimately worth an incredible $24,000, a price that seems incredibly steep considering its many lacks.
10. My Happiness
Value: Around $240,000
Before any of the releases above, Elvis released this song in 1953. The story goes that the 18-year-old Presley paid $4 (around $46 when adjusted for inflation) to record a song for his mother at Sun Records in Memphis. His choice was the song “My Happiness” b/w “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin”, both clocking in together around five minutes and forty seconds.
For obvious reasons, this is deemed by most to be the rarest and most valuable Elvis record that there is and ever will be. Since Elvis is now so highly revered it’s no surprise that this has also been deemed as culturally significant and representative of a truly treasured piece of music history.
In January 2015, an anonymous internet buyer later disclosed as the White Stripes’ Jack White forked out $240,000 for the 78 RPM record, thus setting the bar for decades to come.
Final Tones
So, there you have it! Hopefully, you now feel well-informed of the many facets of Presley, his illustrious and storied catalog, and, most importantly, the most valuable records within that body of work.
FAQs Elvis Records Worth Money
What records of Elvis are worth money?
Any Elvis record is likely worth a bit of money depending on how rare it is, though there are of course some records that are undoubtedly worth more than others.
How do I know if my records are worth money?
The two most important factors to consider when attempting to ascertain the fiscal worth of your records are their rarity vs. their condition. Equally, though, rarity can be all well and good, but if no one knows or gives a hoot about an artist, then the relative rarity of a record will mean next to nothing.
Who buys old Elvis records?
Many people do. He is, after all, one of the most famous and popular recording artists, not just of the 20th century, but of all time! Thus, there are plenty of people out there who are still actively collecting the records within his extensive and varied body of work, even despite the fact that he has been deceased for some time now.
Are Elvis 78 records worth anything?
Indeed they are. In fact, since this is an inherently extinct format, a 78 record is going to be a sign of age and relative rarity which will, in turn, mean that the record is more likely to be worth something.
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