The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Did anyone see the episode where Barry found some 78's and
thought they were big money? Then he took them to get appraised
at a local record shop and the owner told him the single diamond
disc in the lot was worth $100. Sure, there are some rare
titles that can go for $100 or more, but he made no reference
to the rarity of the title and just assumed any diamond disc is
worth $100 each. Funny stuff.

I do worry about shows like these causing inflated prices on auction sites and the like. If everyone thinks a Diamond Disc is $100 because they saw it on TV, I'm not gonna ever be able to build a collection. Same for machines, I recall an episode of Pawn Stars where the guy wanted to get $1400 for an Edison cylinder machine (I'm not familiar with their pricing, but I hope they're not $1400 since I want to get one eventually!)

And, if people don't get their inflated prices are they gonna throw the stuff away when it doesn't sell? Maybe I'm paranoid...

-Adam

adamsih300u wrote:I do worry about shows like these causing inflated prices on auction sites and the like. If everyone thinks a Diamond Disc is $100 because they saw it on TV, I'm not gonna ever be able to build a collection. Same for machines, I recall an episode of Pawn Stars where the guy wanted to get $1400 for an Edison cylinder machine (I'm not familiar with their pricing, but I hope they're not $1400 since I want to get one eventually!)

And, if people don't get their inflated prices are they gonna throw the stuff away when it doesn't sell? Maybe I'm paranoid...

-Adam

I agree, its no help when shows like this spread misinformation. Many people are
already misinformed about the values of records and phonographs as it is. At least
there is Ebay's completed listings to give a gauge of value, and lets hope that
more sellers utilize this information as opposed to TV show "appraisals".

I wouldn't have paid five bucks for that whole box of records. Hard to believe such an apprasial from someone who works at a record store....

spin78's wrote:I wouldn't have paid five bucks for that whole box of records. Hard to believe such an apprasial from someone who works at a record store....

Exactly! It was mostly rubbish. I was horrified when the record buyer quoted $100 on the unnamed Diamond Disc. At least he knew what it was.

I thought Barry was the collector of the bunch? You would think he would be a little smarter and at least do a little online research before embarrassing himself on TV. I am trying to figure why I am so drawn to watch this trainwreck of a show......

antique1973 wrote:Did anyone see the episode where Barry found some 78's and
thought they were big money? Then he took them to get appraised
at a local record shop and the owner told him the single diamond
disc in the lot was worth $100. Sure, there are some rare
titles that can go for $100 or more, but he made no reference
to the rarity of the title and just assumed any diamond disc is
worth $100 each. Funny stuff.

If you noticed, that record shop did not offer to buy that record at $100, or any of the other records at any price. If it was such a deal, the record shop would have purchased them.

MTPhono wrote:

spin78's wrote:I wouldn't have paid five bucks for that whole box of records. Hard to believe such an apprasial from someone who works at a record store....

Exactly! It was mostly rubbish. I was horrified when the record buyer quoted $100 on the unnamed Diamond Disc. At least he knew what it was.

I thought Barry was the collector of the bunch? You would think he would be a little smarter and at least do a little online research before embarrassing himself on TV. I am trying to figure why I am so drawn to watch this trainwreck of a show......

It does seem odd that Barry is clueless when it comes to 78's and DD's. According to
the show's website he has been into antiques since he was a teenager! I realize most people specialize in collecting certain items, but there are thousands of these records in circulation. Seems like he would have encountered some sooner!

I have some mixed feelings about such shows. Often the prices are seeming not line with reality. Look at American Pickers. They are always thrilled to pick up "stuff" but then you realize they picked it for $200 and its "valued" at $500. Do they every actually sell the stuff? Sometimes you wonder if these shows actually exist in order to create a market or prop up the prices of varous pieces of rust. Still fun to watch as there are often intersting items. In the end the price of anything is only known when there is a willing seller and an willing buyer. When I had no Victrola's I payed close to the high end to obtain the first couple, now its got to be the deal of the decade for me to let lose my money.

Couch Potato wrote:I have some mixed feelings about such shows. Often the prices are seeming not line with reality. Look at American Pickers. They are always thrilled to pick up "stuff" but then you realize they picked it for $200 and its "valued" at $500. Do they every actually sell the stuff? Sometimes you wonder if these shows actually exist in order to create a market or prop up the prices of varous pieces of rust. Still fun to watch as there are often intersting items. In the end the price of anything is only known when there is a willing seller and an willing buyer. When I had no Victrola's I payed close to the high end to obtain the first couple, now its got to be the deal of the decade for me to let lose my money.

I have noticed the same thing on American Pickers with overvalued items. Retail antique stores like theirs often charge inflated prices however, so its possible they profit on at least some items. I would also guess that at least some of the "deals" they make are staged.

I also overpaid for my first machine, so as with any item its
important to know the true market value.

antique1973 wrote:

Couch Potato wrote:I have some mixed feelings about such shows. Often the prices are seeming not line with reality. Look at American Pickers. They are always thrilled to pick up "stuff" but then you realize they picked it for $200 and its "valued" at $500. Do they every actually sell the stuff? Sometimes you wonder if these shows actually exist in order to create a market or prop up the prices of varous pieces of rust. Still fun to watch as there are often intersting items. In the end the price of anything is only known when there is a willing seller and an willing buyer. When I had no Victrola's I payed close to the high end to obtain the first couple, now its got to be the deal of the decade for me to let lose my money.

I have noticed the same thing on American Pickers with overvalued items. Retail antique stores like theirs often charge inflated prices however, so its possible they profit on at least some items. I would also guess that at least some of the "deals" they make are staged.

I also overpaid for my first machine, so as with any item its
important to know the true market value.

I guess I can't really speak to the accuracy of the estimates in American Pickers. The only time they had anything phono related, it was a Brunswick they paid $150, and was appraised at $350, so that was a reasonable price (retail, but not antique mall mark up price). But again, I think we need to remember that we a niche with a very narrow focus. They're, for lack of a better term, generalists. They need to know a little about a very broad field (just enough to know what is worth taking a risk on, although they do have their small areas of specialized knowledge, ie bikes). I think Pawn Kings tends to be much worse. The bald guy is the worst. I've seen throw down the B.S. time after time (those of you who watch the show recal the time he low balled someone with an Edison cylinder machine, and had another machine in the box of parts and cylinders, along with his comment of people only purchase them for display, since it would never play well...or his visit to the crazy lady that wanted $2k for a beat up VV-XVI and his line of B.S. of how expensive it gets to replace the "sylus" and "diaphragm" never mind that the machine just plain isn't worth anywhere near that price in any condition). But again, his line of work is to pretend you know what you're talking about, so you can B.S. people into giving you stuff for next to nothing, so you can sell at a profit. As for Storage Wars, that's just the bottom of the barrel. Those people are basically trying to fill the shelves of their second hand stores with yard sale quality items. I find that show least interesting (not to mention the people on the show don't strike me as the smartest people in the world).