The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Over the years I've found a few V Discs here and there, mostly pretty beat up copies. Two questions:

1) One of my V Discs appears to be a regular shellac disc, not the usual vinyl-like substance. Are these hard to find? More valuable? Earlier/later than the vinyl? It's #535 with Harry James and Benny Goodman if that helps.

2) I've heard that the vinyl-like ones will actually hold up well to playing with a steel needle. I've been hesitant to try this even on beat up discs for fear of gouging them. Does anyone have experience playing these with a regular steel needle?

Thanks in advance for input and comments.

Several V discs were made of shellac, these are not particularly more valuable than the vinyl ones. The vinyl V discs can be played with steel needles, actually they were intended to be played in portables. I played them with steel needles with no detectable wear.

Most of the "vinyl" V-Discs I've encountered have some degree of groove damage. The shellac ones not so much. V-Discs in either form are fairly common. Thought the shellac ones less so, not necessarily more valuable. Musically, it's all common fare.