THE BEATLES – YESTERDAY AND TODAY: $125,000 (£96,508)

The early versions of The Beatles’ 1966 US album Yesterday And Today are infamous for their controversial ‘Butcher’ cover. This striking image depicted the band dressed in white lab coats, surrounded by raw meat and dismembered dolls—a satirical jab at how Capitol Records had ‘butchered’ their American releases. The provocative cover was quickly withdrawn and replaced with a more conventional photo.

While typical used copies of the original pressings can command up to $3,780 (£2,924), a sealed first-state copy made headlines when it sold for an astounding $125,000 (£96,508) in 2016.

THE BEATLES – THE BEATLES (‘THE WHITE ALBUM’): $790,000 (£609,932)

Widely regarded as the ultimate prize among vinyl enthusiasts, The Beatles’ self-titled double LP—commonly known as The White Album—is a highly prized collector’s item. While regular copies of the original 1968 UK release typically sell for around $1,400 (£1,084), the earliest first pressings hold a vastly higher value.

In a remarkable 2015 auction, Ringo Starr sold the very first pressing of this iconic album for an extraordinary $790,000 (£609,932). This historic sale cemented its status as the most expensive vinyl album ever sold.