‘Choose Your Weapon’: Why is an obscure breakbeat record worth almost £30,000?

An obscure breakbeat single, ‘Choose Your Weapon’ by Scaramange Silk, sold for almost £30,000 in 2021, surprising collectors and the artist himself. The unexplained price has fuelled speculation about what made the record valuable and who bought it.

Only 20 promotional copies were pressed, and the release combined music, art and poetry in response to knife crime in the UK. It had already attracted offers above £600, but the buyer’s identity is protected by Discogs’ privacy rules; theories that Silk or Banksy arranged the sale remain unsubstantiated.