Music Memorabilia--How & Where To Sell Old Phonograph Records-cont'd

HOW AND WHERE TO SELL

OLD PHONOGRAPH RECORDS-cont'd

(3) Content of the recording. Generally speaking there is more interest in music than in spoken word or comedy records and the value therefor would be greater. Certain kinds of musical recordings bring higher sales prices than others. Jazz, original Broadway cast and movie soundtracks tend to provide a more active market and greater value. Also early rhythm and blues records and the dowop sound are also highly valued and collectible. Among classical records the most valuable are orchestral performances, then solo instrumental, chamber music and concertos and solo vocal and operatic arias and finally complete operas. To some collectors, whether a record is mono or stereo affects the value. Recently a market began developing for rock records of early vintage, especially those of deceased cult figures such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. Also, brisk trading now occurs among collectors of 45s, especially among the 1950s rhythm and blues and early rock artists. Great interest maintains in rare and unusual(foreign issues, etc.) in Elvis and the Beatles. However, most of their records have little value because so many were produced without any distinguishing characteristics. In other words they were all the same.

WHO WILL BUY YOUR RECORDS?

Records are purchased by collectors, mail order dealers, used records stores and the general public, sometimes on 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 for how much they can resell them. Collectors are emotional and sometimes fanatical collecting their specialties. They may pay top prices for particular idiosyncracies. It is unusual to get top dollar for a rare record from the "general public', where only the performance value is recognized, not the resale or trading value. Painstaking research and knowledge of the record industry and its artists is required to determine the 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 are not "rare" can bring only pennies - 25 cents to a dollar - from dealers. The "general public" may pay $1 or $2. Rare records can bring from $25 to the thousands. There are a number of price guides published, but values indicated are generally highly inflated or based on an isolated sale. Obviously, collectors and dealers want to read that records can bring high prices. Remember, value rests in the mind of the buyer.

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