Music Memorabilia--How & Where to Sell Old Phonograph Records

HOW AND WHERE TO SELL

OLD PHONOGRAPH RECORDS

Have you studied your ABCs lately--that is Attics, Basements and Closets? They could yield up some extra money and free up some valuable space in your home for other uses. LPs(long-playing 10 and 12 inch discs, playing at 33 1/3 revolutions per minute), 78s (easily breakable discs, playing at 78 revolutions per minute with one tune on each side) and 45s (7 inch discs playing at 45 revolutions per minute) may be valuable.

Record collecting as a hobby is just beginning to grow after many other collectibles have been prominently featured in antique stores and the media. It is not an expensive hobby to establish, but disposing of them can be expensive in many ways.

HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE VALUE

Many people think that just because a record is old that it has great value. Very few records have any real value to collectors or dealers. Value is based on a combination of three factors -

(1) Supply and demand. How available is the record? If millions were initially sold it is likely that many will turn up in thrift shops, 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 performing(e.g. a major talent who died young and before being able to make many records), the label on which it was recorded (the original recording as distinguished from a "reissue"), or an oddity concerning the record (e.g. a V-disc, wartime government recording or aircheck-taken from a radio broadcast, an original picture disc or a 10-inch LP). The scarcity factor can also be affected by whether a record is "out-of-print" (no longer available from the manufacturer) thereby decreasing the supply. "Bootlegs" (records illegally produced from live concerts or broadcasts) are also valuable to collectors.

(2) Condition of the record. Those with surface noises and scratches will be of little or no value. If it is in "mint" condition(perfect) or "near mint" condition it will have the highest possible value. A record in "very good" condition should not have any distorted sounds or loss of sound quality. "Good" means it may have some imperfections, but can be readily enjoyed. "Fair" means it can play, but will have obvious sound impairment and detract from your enjoyment and the value of the record. Some dealers may have a slightly different grading scale.

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