How and where to sell old phonograph records
Have you studied your ABC’s lately, that is, attics, basements, and closets? They could generate some extra cash and free up valuable space in your home for other uses. LPs (10-inch and 12-inch long-playing records, played at 33 1/3 rpm), 78s (easily broken records, played at 78 rpm with a melody on each side), and 45s (7-inch records played at 45 revolutions per minute) can be valuable.
Record collecting as a hobby is just beginning to grow after many other collectibles have featured prominently in antique shops and in the media. It’s not an expensive hobby to set up, but getting rid of them can be expensive in many ways.
HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE VALUE?
Many people think that the fact that a record is old has great value. Very few records have any real value to collectors or dealers. The value is based on a combination of three factors:
(1) Supply and demand. How available is the registry? If millions were initially sold, many are likely turning up in thrift stores, used record stores, and in many homes. The scarcity factor must be present. There must be a demand for that record because of the artist playing it (for example, a great talent who died young and before he could make many records), the label it was recorded on (the original recording as opposed to a “reissue” ). , or a record-related rarity (for example, a V-disc, wartime government recording or air test taken from a radio broadcast, original picture disc, or 10-inch LP). The scarcity factor can also be affected if a record is “out of stock” (no longer available from the manufacturer), reducing supply. Bootlegs (illegally produced records from live broadcasts or concerts) are also valuable to collectors.
(2) Condition of registration. Those with surface noise and scratches will be of little or no value. If it is in a “mint” (perfect) or “almost mint” state, it will have the highest possible value. A disc in “very good” condition should not have distorted sounds or loss of sound quality. “Good” means it may have some blemishes, but can be easily enjoyed. “Fair” means it can be played, but it will have obvious sound deterioration and will detract from your enjoyment and the value of the disc. Some dealers may have a slightly different rating scale.
(3) Content of the recording. Generally speaking, there is more interest in music than in spoken word or comedy records and the value for that would be higher. Certain types of music recordings command high sales prices. Jazz, original Broadway cast and movie soundtracks tend to provide a more active and higher value market. Also the early rhythm and blues records and the doowop sound are also highly valued and collectible. Among classical records, the most valuable are orchestral performances, then solo instrumentals, chamber music and concertos, and solo vocal and operatic arias, and finally complete operas. For some collectors, whether a record is mono or stereo affects value. A market for early-era rock records began to develop recently, especially those by late cult figures like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison. Also, there is now a brisk trade going on among 45 record collectors, especially among 1950s rhythm and blues artists and early rock artists. Great interest remains in the weird and unusual (foreign themes, etc.) in Elvis and the Beatles. However, most of his records are of little value because many were produced without any distinguishing features. In other words, they were all the same.
WHO WILL BUY YOUR RECORDS?
Records are purchased by collectors, mail order sellers, used record stores, and the general public, sometimes out of a nostalgic impulse or because of a favorite artist. For truly rare records, the best prices will come from dealers who know the market and how much they can resell them for. Collectors are emotional and sometimes fanatical about collecting their specialties. They can pay high prices for particular idiosyncrasies. It is unusual to get the best price for a rare “general public” record, where only performance value is recognized, not resale or commercial value. Thorough research and knowledge of the recording industry and its artists is required to determine value. of a particular recording It may be possible to determine a value for a “rare” record once you have determined that it is truly rare.
WHAT WILL THEY PAY?
Most records that aren’t “rare” can fetch just pennies (25 cents on the dollar) from dealers. The “general public” can pay $1 or $2. Rare records can fetch anywhere from $25 to thousands. There are a number of price guides published, but the listed values are usually highly inflated or based on a single sale. Obviously, collectors and dealers want to read that records can fetch high prices. Remember, value remains in the mind of the buyer.
HOW TO FIND A BUYER?
There is probably a buyer for every record you want to sell somewhere in the world. How to find such a person is a big problem. It’s not uncommon for people to discover old records in their homes and go on to spend many dollars (well in excess of the eventual electronic record) and countless hours looking for a buyer. It can become very frustrating and sometimes obsessive. Expectations almost always exceed reality.
Records can be sold through advertising: in local classifieds or collectors’ publications, selling them at local used record stores, selling them at flea markets or bazaars, or promoting a garage sale. Start by cataloging the records. Indicate the artist, the title of the disc, LP, 45 or 78 rpm, the catalog number of the disc and its condition. Take the list to a record librarian and some used record stores for deals and indications on rarity. Talk to friends and associates.
Selling involves prospective buyers visiting your home. Or, you may have to pack and transport the drives to a store to get a quote and not sell them. Damage in transit can cause them to lose their value. Out-of-town prospects require mailing, packaging, insurance, transportation to the post office, postage placement, and COD. Buyer may refuse to accept upon receipt.
©2007 Howard E. Fischer