Lot of 75 Diamond Disc records -- Worth??

[gene_ballard]

I have an opportunity to buy a lot of about 75 Diamond Disc records (mixed paper/non-paper labels)with about 15 of them "coon songs". The person wants to sell all or none. Without going through all of them (most in excellent condition) what would someone pay for the lot? Average cost per record assuming there are no high-priced labels in the bunch.

Hope to hear from the experts!

[FellowCollector]

75 Diamond Disc records (mixed paper/non-paper labels)with about 15 of them "coon songs".

Hmmm...15 Edison Diamond Discs in the group of 75 being "coon songs" sounds like a bit of a stretch to me. By the time Edison Diamond Discs were manufactured the "coon song" was much less popular with the record buying public. Evidence for this can be seen by the very noticeable decrease of "coon song" titles in the entire list of released Edison Diamond Discs. I have many thousands of Edison Diamond Discs and off the top of my head I can think of relatively few titles. Now...coon songs on earlier vintage cylinders? Yes...lots and lots of titles since "coon songs" were especially popular during the 2 minute cylinder era. My advice is to go and look at them in person before making an offer. Good luck.

[Edisone]

15 doesn't sound like a stretch to me. If you consider most Collins & Harlan records as 'coon songs', there were quite a few DD issues. Add Al Bernard, Bernard & Hare, etc - there are quite a few more. The fact that Coon Songs would not interest me at all is another matter. Well, maybe Auntie Skinner's Chicken Dinner ...

[52089]

At least part of this equation is how many disks you already have and how much of what's on DDs in general is to your liking. I'm at a point where buying a bulk lot means keeping maybe 1 out of 3 in the lot, if I'm fairly lucky. These days I prefer to look for lots that suit my taste and/or interest so I don't wind up with a large pile of records that are unwanted.

Having said that, at record shows you will sometimes see piles of common DDs for $1 or $2, occasionally 50 cents, and of course these are your choice from the lot. In this case, since you are not getting to choose and are getting an all-or-nothing deal, you would probably want to pay on the lower end of the scale.

[gene_ballard]

At least part of this equation is how many disks you already have and how much of what's on DDs in general is to your liking. I'm at a point where buying a bulk lot means keeping maybe 1 out of 3 in the lot, if I'm fairly lucky. These days I prefer to look for lots that suit my taste and/or interest so I don't wind up with a large pile of records that are unwanted.

Having said that, at record shows you will sometimes see piles of common DDs for $1 or $2, occasionally 50 cents, and of course these are your choice from the lot. In this case, since you are not getting to choose and are getting an all-or-nothing deal, you would probably want to pay on the lower end of the scale.

15 doesn't sound like a stretch to me. If you consider most Collins & Harlan records as 'coon songs', there were quite a few DD issues. Add Al Bernard, Bernard & Hare, etc - there are quite a few more. The fact that Coon Songs would not interest me at all is another matter. Well, maybe Auntie Skinner's Chicken Dinner ...

Thank you to you both for your input. I do collect "coon songs" and they are of interest to me. Preacher and the Bear is my favorite title and I own 6 of them, 3 are cylinders. If there are 15 records that are "coon songs", then perhaps that could mean 30 titles. If that's the case, then I've reached the % of records that are of interest to me and I can discard the rest at basement prices. Some "coon songs" still bring $9-25 per record.

I'll let you all know what I find in the mix and what I was able to get them for. Could be a bargain...or a nightmare!

Stay tuned....or cranked.

[Wolfe]

Hmmm...15 Edison Diamond Discs in the group of 75 being "coon songs" sounds like a bit of a stretch to me. By the time Edison Diamond Discs were manufactured the "coon song" was much less popular with the record buying public. Evidence for this can be seen by the very noticeable decrease of "coon song" titles in the entire list of released Edison Diamond Discs. I have many thousands of Edison Diamond Discs and off the top of my head I can think of relatively few titles.

You might do well to check your collection again, before you speak on these matters.

[FellowCollector]

You might do well to check your collection again, before you speak on these matters.

I stated my opinion off the top of my head as I mentioned and my advice was to go and look at them in person. Period. And I stand by it. I don't consider Bernard and Hare and Al Bernard songs as "coon songs". What I consider true "coon song" titles are few and far between in Edison Diamond Disc titles.

Your rude comment only serves to remind prospective contributors here that offering an opinion and advice could lead to derogatory comments like this. Your comment serves no purpose here.

[Wolfe]

You might do well to check your collection again, before you speak on these matters.

I stated my opinion off the top of my head as I mentioned and my advice was to go and look at them in person. Period. And I stand by it. I don't consider Bernard and Hare and Al Bernard songs as "coon songs". What I consider true "coon song" titles are few and far between in Edison Diamond Disc titles.

Your rude comment only serves to remind prospective contributors here that offering an opinion and advice could lead to derogatory comments like this. Your comment serves no purpose here.

Okey-doke. Comment is stricken.

Didn't mean to offend you.

[FellowCollector]

Didn't mean to offend you.

Thanks Wolfe.

[FloridaClay]

If I were presented with a lot of 75 DDs and they were good, clean recordings with few chips, scratches, etc. I would probably make an offer of about $150 for starters. More if there were some electrically recorded titles and/or some highly desirable recordings, like Golden Gate Orchestra discs. Maybe a little less if there were a bunch of WWI etched label discs in the lot because those tend to be noisy. You'd want to check them for delamination and or mold too, which can occur if they were stored in damp conditions.

Clay