Putting a value to an album

[db297]

Whenever I buy an album I put it in a spreadsheet just to know what I have. Then I decided I'd grade each album and then put a dollar value to it. I don't ever plan on selling these albums, it's just for fun I guess. I usually go to Ebay and see what they're selling for there. 9 times out of 10 I'll value mine equal to the cheapest one on Ebay. Sometimes that's tough though. For instance, right now there are about 10-12 Linda Ronstadt's "What's New" albums. They range in starting prices from $5 to $55. Then there's always that one person that will list it for 98 cents and they graded it M-. Geesh - that really makes it hard for me to value my album for anything more than 98 cents. Anybody else ever value their albums?? How do you get around that one person that lists for 98 cents? or do you?
db

 

[www.records]

If you want a realistic value I suggest you use the completed auction as your guide. And then only use the values of items that ACTUALLY SOLD. You could use an average or match up one that would grade close to the one you have.

 

[stratmel]

FWIW, I also use a spreadsheet for albums, 45's and CD's. Generally I just list what I paid and a conservative grade. If I know it has any significant value, I'll use the Goldmine value in a separate column. I generally don't sell,
but will look up the recent auction "sold" history if I do.

Enjoy the music,
-Mark

 

[eb2jim]

It is a fine art, but you have already figured out the truth with the example of the Linda Ronstadt lp. Great supply, and virtually no demand. Truth be told the real value of that lp is - in mint - a buck if you are lucky. The vast majority of records are not worth what the record guides or the ebay buy-it-now prices are. A small minority are worth more. Some are worth more for a while, and slide back later. Some, like Pink Floyd later lps, have a great supply and great demand, but it is incredibly hard to get a nm copy. Get a price guide, check only closed and sold ebay auctions, and you might get it close a lot of the time. Good luck.

 

[Jovinyl]

Value is only what someone else is willing to pay for it. Example:
Goldmine $100 NM record average selling price say $30.00 but a Goldmine $8.00 NM record at times is getting $75 to $100. Use a grading book for a guide line but check the auction sites for what it is selling for at the time.
Hope this was help. If you find some one with Osbourne Musictracker software
Get it. that way you can build a speadsheet with book value and copy info to excel and grade. Musictraker as I know is no longer available but you might find the software. I have it and it works for me.

 

[Andyman]

Like it or not, eBay is your best guide as that is a REAL aggregation of recently SOLD items.

It's current and very indicative of what folks paid. Not to say it won't change in the future, but it's very accurate for right now.

 

[Mark W.]

personally and please don't take offense at this. But the only time the value of an LP is of consern to me is when I buy it, Put it on or take it off the TT (worring about damage while being handled) The rest of the time it's just another LP in the 2200 I have.

 

[Kim G]

You might want to check out Popsike.com, they have completed E-Bay auctions for quite a few ( they claim over 700,000 ). It will quite time consuming ,if and when I decide to do that with my collection, rapidly approaching 6,000. Keeping them in any kind of order is a job in its self.
Good luck in your search.

Kim

 

[db297]

You might want to check out Popsike.com, they have completed E-Bay auctions for quite a few ( they claim over 700,000 ). It will quite time consuming ,if and when I decide to do that with my collection, rapidly approaching 6,000. Keeping them in any kind of order is a job in its self.
Good luck in your search.

Kim

Cool. I just tried it and it works like a charm. Thanks much - appreciate it. :thmbsp:

 

[Kim G]

You are very welcome, glad I could help.

Kim

 

[Tanker Desk]

Like it or not, eBay is your best guide as that is a REAL aggregation of recently SOLD items.
It's current and very indicative of what folks paid. Not to say it won't change in the future, but it's very accurate for right now.

I agree with this. Records are getting repressed all the time, and people's demand for certain records goes in waves. Just think you could price something at a buck and all of a sudden one of the songs ends up in a VW commercial (Nick Drake) and the demand skyrockets.
Or, using eBay, you could see several copies of the record listed, thereby dropping the demand and price. But, six weeks later when zero copies have been on, that one lone copy could fetch far more than any of the previous copies did.

I just see any given record's value as being far too fluid to ever be able to rely on a value that I determined at one given point in time. Plus it only takes two very determined buyers to completely (and temporarily) skew the price of a record out of proportion.

 

[Old_Tech]

Whenever I buy an album I put it in a spreadsheet just to know what I have. Then I decided I'd grade each album and then put a dollar value to it. I don't ever plan on selling these albums, it's just for fun I guess. I usually go to Ebay and see what they're selling for there. 9 times out of 10 I'll value mine equal to the cheapest one on Ebay. Sometimes that's tough though. For instance, right now there are about 10-12 Linda Ronstadt's "What's New" albums. They range in starting prices from $5 to $55. Then there's always that one person that will list it for 98 cents and they graded it M-. Geesh - that really makes it hard for me to value my album for anything more than 98 cents. Anybody else ever value their albums?? How do you get around that one person that lists for 98 cents? or do you?
db

The value of an item on the auction site is what they sell for approximately.
Its not the starting bid but what people are willing to pay for it. Then you have to take into consideration the condition of the record and the album cover. If its really nice its worth that top buck if its just mediocre then it goes for much less. Ask yourself what you would pay to replace it. You may surprise yourself as to its value.

 

[curtis3328]

Album prices...

I use the Goldmine guide, and others when necessary, and adjust for the condition. Buying on eBay is tough because you can't hold it in your hand and grade it yourself. I've been burned one too many times. You just don't know what condition it is from an email and a seller's rating. I use Goldmine because my insurance company gives me "replacement value" on my homeowners policy. Haven't needed it yet, but also it's an asset listed on my financial statement.

The other reason I don't buy on eBay is that there's still a lot of vinyl out there for free. People still give it away! I got about 200 pieces of run-of-the-mill-almost-frisbees and found a nice copy of Otis Redding's "Dock of the Bay" on Volt which books for $30. The rest are going to the dump. Unless you want a big pile of scratchy Allman Bros. Band for free...

 

[anatolk]

Even if you look at Ebay auctions of albums that really sold, they can't tell you even an approximate value of the record you have. There are other factors there. For example - the seller have a really good reputation, he makes long and detailed lists about every record, emphasizing on words as "original", "very first press", "heavy", "dramatic", etc., describing even the minor details about cover, record, labels, etc., and overall his service is superb. People bid like crazy and even a common album sells like it's a famous one from only, say, 1000 copies ever done...