Why This Danzig Album Just Sold for a Ridiculous Amount

The first solo single from Misfits vocalist Glenn Danzig just sold for an eye-popping $10,000 thanks to its unusual backstory.

Most Expensive Sold On Discogs

For those who have never spent hours scrolling through hard-to-find vinyl listings, Discogs is an online marketplace for third-party album listings. Some users are record stores selling their inventory, while others are just regular music fans posting their collection for all to see.

Basically, if there is a record you've always wanted but have never seen in your local record store, there is still a good chance someone has it for sale on Discogs.

The site recently published a top 25 most valuable records list compiled from sales in February. Topping the list was a copy of Danzig's first solo single, "Who Killed Marilyn?"

The 7-inch was originally released in 1981 with "Spook City U.S.A." as a B-side. It is believed that 5,000 copies were pressed on black vinyl at that time.

Why This Danzig Album Sold For $10K

According to Discogs' listings, at least two other versions of the single were released following the original pressing.

In 1983, another 500 copies of the 7-inch were repressed on purple vinyl. In addition to "Who Killed Marilyn?" coming out on purple vinyl that year, there were also another 25 copies pressed on a combination purple and black vinyl.

There are currently only 14 Discogs users who have the more rare purple and black variant listed as part of their collections. One of those sold for a whopping $10,000 in February.

According to Discogs, the transaction marks the first time the single has ever been sold by one of its users.

But that might not be the only factor driving up the sale price.

"The seller claims to be the original owner and says they received it from Danzig in 1983," Discogs has revealed.

There were no additional details regarding how the seller obtained the record from Danzig.

Other Albums in the Top 10

The top 10 most valuable records sold by Discogs users in February lean heavily toward rock music. Here is a look at which titles sold for big money.

Glenn Danzig, Who Killed Marilyn? (1983) $10,000
The Rolling Stones, I Wanna Be Your Man (1964) $6,400
The Trips, Love Can't Be Modernized (1967) $4,333
Abba, Hovas Vittne (1981) $4,117
Tool, Aenima (1997) $4,000
Mayhem, Deathcrush (1987) $3,800
Joe Harriott & Amanico D'Silca Quartet, Hum Dono (1969) $3,772
The Beatles, Paperback Writer (1966) $3,500
Zakarrias, Zakarrias (1971) $3,410
One in a Million, Fredereek Hernando (1967) $3,033

When pricing vinyl, the rarity of it can be more important than the album's condition. Record companies in recent years have caught on to this and have created several versions of albums to help generate additional interest.

An occasionally used trick is pressing something in the vinyl to create a highly desired collector's item. Here is a look at the strangest things ever pressed into vinyl records.