Why I Started A Used Mystery Vinyl Box Company

I’ve always preferred things with a bit of age to them. Old books, used vinyl, old houses. Things that were built properly, with history and character, and can be brought back to life with a little attention. Restoring older houses taught me early on that most things don’t need replacing. They just need care. Used vinyl is exactly the same.

The Mystery Vinyl Company grew out of that mindset and from noticing how expensive collecting had become. New reissues now regularly cost between £25 and £40, and early pressings in VG condition are listed at prices that feel more like luxury items than records. One album can easily hit £50 to £100, and that is before you even get into true first pressings. For most people trying to build a collection, the cost of new vinyl and even well graded used vinyl has made the hobby harder than it needs to be.

But there is a huge amount of used vinyl out there that still sounds excellent. Records graded VG and above, cleaned properly, and chosen for how they actually play rather than how glossy the sleeve looks. That is the used vinyl I look for. Every record that goes into a box is hand cleaned, checked, and graded honestly.

Sleeves often show more age than the vinyl itself, which is normal for used vinyl that has been around for decades. They have been played and handled, which is the job they were made for. They have their own history. Occasionally a sleeve will fall below VG, but only when the pressing itself is rare or genuinely worth owning. For people who want good music rather than a museum piece, this is the most sensible way to buy used vinyl without paying inflated prices.

The mystery format came from the way I have always found things. Digging through second hand bookshops, house clearances, and crates of used vinyl without a clear plan. The appeal is not knowing what you are going to find and being open to something unexpected.

That idea carries into the Collectors Cut box. Once a month, one customer receives a special record that would normally sit behind glass or be sold for far more than the cost of the box. It might be an early Beatles pressing, a misaligned Abbey Road, a numbered White Album, or a signed copy of something iconic. One item. One box. No announcement. The first months special record is an early signed copy of Blue Moves by Elton John.

The Mystery Vinyl Company is not here to overcomplicate collecting. It is simply a way to make used vinyl accessible again. Good records, cleaned properly, priced sensibly, and occasionally offering something special.