Do super low serial numbers on Victor 78's add to value?

[1923VictorFan]

Just curious if super low numbers are more collected or more valuable? I have several early (pre-1908) Victors numbered in the 80's and 90's but today I got a Straight Line Victor "The Boy and the Cheese" from 7/22/1904 and it is number 7. Does anyone know if this is meaningful? Thanks!

[Retrograde]

I'm not an expert on value, so I can't help there. According to the Collector's Guide to Victor Records, the 10" Grand Prize (with Portland listed) ranged in numbers from 7 up to about 4600. This label style (closest I could see) dates from 1906 to 1908. The pressing is probably of an earlier recording.

I would think that the content of the record is more of a factor than the catalog number. for example Stars and Stripes Forever has a higher catalog number, and probably worth a lot more.

(just my opinion)

[1923VictorFan]

Thanks Retrograde! I agree with your answer. I guess I was just hoping someone would say "OMG You have the #7 record!". What a bummer. Changing the subject for a moment...you are the second person to mention the "Collectors Guide to Victor Records". I've been resisting due to the relatively high price but I'm now convinced that it would be worth the $45. Thanks again! Erich

[Viva-Tonal]

The selection's history goes back virtually to the beginning of what became Victor just after Berliner was shut down.

From the EDVR, here's all the info on what originally was Improved Gram-O-Phone Record A-7 from 1900, and its evolution toward the record you have:

First, as originally recorded by George Broderick (whose recitation of Eugene Field's poem 'Departure' was record A-1)....

6/28/1900 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 1 Unk.

6/28/1900 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 2 Unk.

11/3/1900 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 3 Master Victor A-7
7" disc

11/3/1900 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 4 Master Victor A-7
7" disc

Returned: 11 Oct.'01: 1115 cps.

Re-recorded by Burt Shepard as from 1901....

7/1/1901 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 1 Unk.

7/1/1901 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 2 Unk.

7/10/1901 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 3 Master Victor A-7
7" disc

7/10/1901 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 3 Master Berliner (Canada) 654
7" disc

7/10/1901 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 4 Unk.

Notes: Also recorded as [PM-]882 and B-1647.
Shepard recorded the selection for Zonophone (U.K.) as George Atkinson.
Alternate title from original EDVR data and early 1903 Victor catalog.

The above data are all 7" discs. These next two are 10".

7/25/1901 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) M-1 Unk.

7/25/1901 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) M-2 Master Victor 7

As pre-matrix series A-882, now titled 'The boy and the cheese':

7/1/1901 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 1 Unk.

7/1/1901 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 2 Unk.

7/10/1901 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed]) 3 Master Victor A-7
7" disc

Re-numbered A-7 to replace the original of that number made by George Broderick. Returned: 16 Jul.'01: 1160 cps.
7/10/1901 (Camden, New Jersey [unconfirmed])

And finally, Victor 7 after the introduction of separate matrix numbers in 1903, the final remakes, with matrices A-1647 (7") and B-1647 (10")....7" disc first:

7/22/1904 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed]) 1 Master Victor 7
7" disc

7/22/1904 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed])

And as 10" disc:

7/22/1904 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed]) 1 Master Victor 7
10" disc

7/22/1904 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed]) 1 Master Victor 16108
10" disc

7/22/1904 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed]) 2 Master Victor 7
10" disc

7/22/1904 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [unconfirmed]) 2 Master Victor 16108
10" disc

[Guest]

OMG! Thank you Viva-Tonal! I looked it up in the EDVR online too but to be honest I just don't understand a lot of the info shown there beyond the recording and issue dates. The only thing you left out were production quantites.
I think what I need to do is accept the pain and buy the $40 paperback copy of "The Collectors Guide to Victor Records" as well as sit down and figure out how to interpret all of the data on the EDVR website.
On another note I see you are in Mountain Home, Arkansas. I actually lived there for a year (2003) before finally relocating to nearby Springfield, Mo. I worked on the 6th Floor of The Baxter Regional Medical Center and lived only a few blocks away on College Street. Thanks again for your help. And now I need more

[Guest]

OMG! Thanks Viva-Tonal! You don't mess around do you? I looked it up at The EDVR Website too but to be totally honest, I just don't know how to interpret most of the statistics shown there. I think I need to just bite the bullet and buy the $45 paperback version of "The Collectors Guide to Victor Records".
On another unrelated topic I see you are in Mountain Home, Arkansas. I actually lived there for just over one year (around 2002-2003) before relocating to nearby Springfield, Mo. I used to work on the 6th floor of The Baxter Regional Medical Center". Thanks again for your help!