I was setting up an estate sale for this weekend and came across some vinyl 78 records and wondered how collectible they are.

It turns out that there are many collectors of 78 records.  According to  Tim Grayck and Bill Clark, collectors of 78s pay high prices for anything in good condition issued by companies such as Vogue, Black Patti, Black Swan, Autograph, Berliner, Fonotipia.  Collectors pay high prices for clean records manufactured for a “race” market, including Victor’s 38000 series, Columbia’s 14000 series, Okeh’s 8000 series, and Paramount’s 12000 series. Certain Bing Crosby 78s are worth at least $10 each–not the ones on Decca but some of Crosby’s early discs, such as the ones on Brunswick.

Collectors often concentrate on one of the following types of record: opera, music hall, ballad singers, instrumentalists, jazz, dance bands, swing bands, musical comedy, comedians, film stars, famous politicians, rock’n'roll, or #1 hits. Some like “pioneer recordings” of the 1890s and turn-of-the-century, 1920s jazz or hillbilly.

Hint: click on the links for amazon books and/or links to sources.

I’ve recently photographed some more vinyl 45s to list on eBay and wondered just how collectible these old 45s really are.

The Beatles " Love Me Do" Rerelease

John Denver "Take Me Home,Country Roads"

45s were first produced in 1949/50 and were ideal for the budding radio market to use in promoting songs.  Record companies sent out promotional 45s to radio stations to get “play time” and move their products up the charts.  Often 45s are singles from larger albums, but not always.  45s were cheaper to produce and local bands often released songs on 45s rather than invest in a longer album.  These “small pressings” are sometimes more valuable as a result.

Collectors tend to collect from a sense of nostalgia, and tend to collect a genre (classic rock, blues, rhythm and blues, doo wop, garage rock, progressive rock, and psychedelic rock). Other rare and highly valued items include pieces from highly collectible artists such as The Beatles, Elvis Presley, U2, Madonna, The Cure, The Rolling Stones, or James Brown

And how collectible are they? 

 Just keep this in mind…they’re only worth what a collector wants to pay to get them.   Collectors buy the music that they love and remember. 

 Hint: Click on the links for books from Amazon, and the photos for links to my listings.

Glen Campbell…John Denver…Kenny Rogers…The Beatles

Link to My eBay Store to view and bid.

 Now listed in eBay Store

 Now listed in eBay Store

Now listed on www.rosessundries.com

 Now listed in eBay Store

As is true for many collectibles, condition is most important in determining value.

 What should you look for in determining condition?

• Is the metal clean and mostly free of rust or corrosion?  Patina is OK, but rust and corrosion reduce value.  Has corrosion or rust been removed?  If so, be aware that damage can occur during the processes used.
• Is the wood or plastic cracked or scratched? Some normal use is expected, but stained cracks or deep scratches reduce value.
• Is any paint badly worn or chipped?  Paint wears over time.  Wear to the bare subsurface reduces value.
• If there are moving parts, does it work?  Obviously an item that works is of more value than one that doesn’t.  But parts can be gleaned from non working items.
• Does the item has its original packaging?  Nice graphics add value.  And the condition of the packaging adds more value. 

Don’t know the age of your piece?

Check to see whether it bears a US patent number. It won’t tell you the date of manufacture, but by checking the Patent Office website (see below) you can determine the earliest date it may have been made. For example, a kitchen utensil with patent number 2153321 could not have been manufactured prior to 1939. It is also possible to view actual patents by conducting a search on the same website.

United States Patent and Trademark Office
http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/issuyear.htm “Table of Issue Years and Patent Numbers, for Selected Document Types Issued Since 1836″

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Link to My eBay Store to view and bid.

Now listed in eBay Store

 Now listed in eBay Store

 Now listed in eBay Store

Now listed in eBay Store

Now listed in eBay Store
 Now listed in eBay Store