Glenn Danzig's Black Circle Sold for IDR 157 Million

JAKARTA - A first-ever vinyl of punk rock icon Glenn Danzig has reportedly changed hands for up to $10,000 or the equivalent of Rp157 million.

The sale, which was made through the Discogs platform, placed the release titled "Who Killed Marilyn?" at the top of the list of the most valuable records sold throughout February.

The seven-inch vinyl, first released in 1981, was Danzig's first solo project outside of his legendary band, the Misfits.

The high selling price is triggered by the scarcity of specific variants sold, namely the purple-and-black vinyl version of the 1983 release which is reportedly only produced in 25 pieces worldwide.

According to an official statement from Discogs, this transaction is a historic moment for the platform, because it is the first time that this ultra-rare version has appeared and sold.

The seller also claimed to be the original owner who got the record directly from Glenn Danzig's hands in 1983.

"Every month, rare and collectible recordings are bought and sold through Discogs, sometimes at very high prices. Sellers claim to be the original owners and say they received them from Danzig in 1983," Discogs' official statement read, quoted by NME, Wednesday, March 11.

For comparison, the first print of the standard black version was produced in about 5,000 copies and is usually priced at an average of 500 US dollars.

However, the existence of this purple-black variant is really at a different level for music treasure hunters. Under Danzig, the list of the most expensive records this month is also filled with big names such as The Rolling Stones with the song "I Wanna Be Your Man" which sold for 6,400 US dollars, as well as ABBA through the release of "Hovas Vittne" which touched the figure of 4,117 US dollars.

The increase in the value of this music collection proves that physical releases still have a foothold in the midst of the onslaught of the streaming era.

Glenn Danzig's name has never been out of the spotlight, both because of his influential musical works and the various controversies that have enveloped him, ranging from criticism of cancel culture to the use of symbols that are considered offensive on his band's merchandise.

This fall, Danzig is scheduled to hit the stage again through the Louder Than Life festival in the United States, alongside other big bands such as Iron Maiden and My Chemical Romance.