Values for Victor Pre-1908 Records...please be kind...lol.

[1923VictorFan]

Hi All,
I am setting-up a collectors Insurance Policy and one of the things it asks me to do is declare a value for my 300 count Victor record collection. I have no clue how to assign an insurance value on them. About ¾ of them are the early, one sided "Grand Prize" records. The remainder are Victor Patent & Batwingn labels. The collection is focused on Collins & Harlan, Billy Murray and Cal Stewart as well as other "ethnic" humor and wierdos like laughing, whistleing and behaving badly.. lol.
Any ideas?

[OrthoSean]

I'm not sure I follow you exactly. Grand Prize Victors (which I think you're referring to) can be relatively easily found even today at less than a buck each. Of course, a particular title can be worth lots of money, while most are still only bringing a few dollars each at best. I've been a Murray collector for 25 years and while most of his discs are common enough to be found for cheap (say under a few dollars), there are some titles that are really hard to find due to short catalog life. I'm only missing a few of his Victors (maybe 10), but I couldn't place a real value on them to anyone other than myself if I wanted one badly enough to complete my collection, which at this point isn't a priority (completing my 14 year long house restoration is!)I don't like playing the whole "what's this worth" game most of the time anyway, a given "rare" disc can sell for $50 in one seller's auction and $4 in anothers, it really depends on too many factors, the main three being condition, rarity and who wants it and of course, what the two highest bidders are willing to shell out. I could go on, but I think you get my drift.

I'm not trying to add to the can of worms here, but again, it's an awfully broad question.

To quote a 50+ year collector friend of mine: "never try to make a living selling old records, Sean, you'll starve"

Sean

[estott]

Value is very much in the eye of the beholder. I value a disc by Jascha Guerwich very highly- he was a significant saxophone soloist who recorded only a few sides. From a musical standpoint they are of little interest- he plays well but the recording quality is substandard and the selection he plays is trivial.

[1923VictorFan]

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