$15 per disc?

[tesch1932]

Forgive me for the quick vent...A record store near me has recently aquired a sizable selection of pretty common 78 rpm discs (mostly your late '40s pop/country, but some dance records as well.

But they are charging $10-15 per disc. Is it just me, or is that a little inflated?

[OrthoFan]

For common titles/average condition 78s? Personally I'd let them sit on the shelf for a few months or years until the seller wakes up and smells the coffee. (But, but, they're 80 years old! They're antiques!)

Even in overpriced San Francisco where the average asking price of a beaten up common Victrola or off-brand model is $500-$800 on craigslist, the used record sellers normally ask about $3.00 per record.

Just my two cents.
OrthoFan

[Wolfe]

Maybe they are new kids in town, trying to charge top dollar for the "vinyls". Record store biz can be a Mad Max scramble for survival sometimes. Lotta people want in on it, only a few will remain.

[52089]

Forgive me for the quick vent...A record store near me has recently aquired a sizable selection of pretty common 78 rpm discs (mostly your late '40s pop/country, but some dance records as well.

But they are charging $10-15 per disc. Is it just me, or is that a little inflated?

There are some common discs that command that price or more, mostly the ones that were featured in movies or became major hits later. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy comes to mind, also that "Moonlight" song used the The Shining, among others.

Having said that, 90% of the 78s you are likely to come across are worth a couple of bucks on a good day.

[AmberolaAndy]

They are probably people who think anything made before 1995 or 2000 or whatever is old and therefore worth all sorts of money.

Probably also the ones who put a VV-XI for $1200 on Craigslist.


Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy is probably one of the few Andrew Sisters records I cannot find, just like Paul Whiteman’s The Charleston or that Al Bowlly record from the Shining.

[Inigo]

Hi, looking for The Shining on IMDB I found that the late Brian Rust acted as musical advisor for music of the twenties, not less!

[edisonplayer]

Some records I'd gladly pay $15 for,like a Black Patti.edisonplayer.

[Frisco The Beagle]

I share your frustration. I would say they are - generally speaking - way over priced. Sure there are some very rare and desirable discs that are worth that, and more - to the right person. The big majority of people could care less about old records, and collectors know the values better, so I don't understand what the end game is. Ebay seems to be full of the same stuff, where you can find the same record in "Buy It Now" listings ranging from $1.99 to $19.99 and more.

My favorite place to buy 78's is at flea markets, yard sales, etc., where someone has several milk crates full. Early in the day they are priced pretty high, but by the end of the day they usually say "Make me an offer on all of them. I just don't want to carry them around anymore." You end up with lots of common stuff, but every now and then you get a few nice ones.

[travisgreyfox]

I see this often in Louisiana antique stores when I visit family down there. If they have been sitting long enough some dealers are willing to move them for a lot cheaper. I once seen a small collection of about 30 78s for 10 bucks each. After inquiring I walked away with them all for like 20 bucks (with a case).

[AZ*]

I've noticed a couple of posts in the Music Trader section of this forum with asking prices for 78s that likewise seem unrealistic and hopeful at best -- two to three times the usual. Maybe they will get lucky.