View Full Version : Getting rid of vinyl
I have several hundred LPs (I guess between 600-800) which I realistically will never listen to again.
Looking for ideas of the best way of maximising the value of this collection.
The collection is a mixture of 70/80s rock and classical music - about 2/3rds classical. There are several dozen mint classical LPs - never been opened and still have its shrink wrap.
Condition of the LPs (esp. the non classical stuff) is poor to excellent. The classical is mostly good to mint.
I'm loath to simply have a collector come round as I'm sure s/he will simply give me the go round by emphasising what rubbish I have whilst grabbing the good stuff for a small percentage of their actual worth.
How do I easily value the records? Is there a Price Bible somewhere? I guess I could look at eBay but that will take ages. I don't even have an inventory of what I have as yet.
If I do get to selling the stuff is it worth selling individual items or batches? Any recommended LP mailers?
I'd imagine that it is simply not worth the hassle of selling any stuff that is worth less than £10 or so?
E
Audio Al
21-08-2017, 20:09
You will only achieve top prices if the vinyl is in top condition , You need to grade each album one at a time giving a full discription of the LP and the sleve
Not a easy job ,
Or buy yourself a copy of the Record Collector's Guide.
paulf-2007
21-08-2017, 21:56
Looks like you will have to put some time in if you want to make the best money. I am about to get rid of vinyl I don't play, fortunately I don't have much and the ones from my drunken teenage years is toast anyhow so that may as well go to the tip.
montesquieu
22-08-2017, 00:59
Looks like you will have to put some time in if you want to make the best money. I am about to get rid of vinyl I don't play, fortunately I don't have much and the ones from my drunken teenage years is toast anyhow so that may as well go to the tip.
You'd be surprised the rubbish that gets cleaned, put in a tight clear sleeve so it's hard to see how thin/tatty the cover is and flogged for £15 at record fairs with a handwritten sticker on saying 'German pressing' or somesuch. But the reality is it's probably only worth 50p or £1 if you don't own a record stall - touting records round fairs is hard graft.
maverick2000
22-08-2017, 08:05
Discogs
exactly Grant
if a record is new enough to have a bar code then the Discogs app will scan it for you
my 2p worth
high.spirits
22-08-2017, 08:29
Or buy yourself a copy of the Record Collector's Guide.
+ 1.
I found this guide excellent.
Got an older copy of it. Quite good but discogs is better imo. As said above the app can scan barcodes too. Takes a bit of getting used to finding correct version but once you get to grips it becomes fairly quick. Just do a few at a time and you'll soon get through them
Thanks for the various suggestion - particularly discogs.
Seems that on discogs one can upload a list of albums and I assume it will match it up with what is in their database displaying history and prices etc.
I need to figure out what details are required for the csv upload. I'll give a dozen or two LPs a try and see how I get on.
Barry you mentioned getting a copy of Record Collectors Guide. I can't seem to find this but can find 'Rare Record Collectors Price Guide' which anyway does not cover Classical music. Is there something different?
cheers
Edward
WESTLOWER
23-08-2017, 13:55
give Mark at FlashBack Records a call in North London
he will give you a fair price if they are worth taking..he will probably come to yours and collect too.
give Mark at FlashBack Records a call in North London
he will give you a fair price if they are worth taking..he will probably come to yours and collect too.
Thanks Adam - I may well do that. But I first wanted to get an impression on what value I have sitting in the various boxes tucked away in corners. :)
So just now I signed up at Discogs and am amazed. So easy to enter records in - even without barcodes. Just as a quickie I entered 49 LPs and the stats looks interesting. Low value of collection is £151, median value of £224 and max of £350. Highest value LP I found so far is a VGC of Pink Floyd's The Final Cut with a low price of £8.54 and a max price of £34.77.
For now I will keep going on updating the database and then see what my next steps are.
Ed
Highest values are for n mint. Also check how many have sold, and at what price last one went for. :) lots of info in those pages...oh and how many folk are looking for a copy
Highest values are for n mint. Also check how many have sold, and at what price last one went for. :) lots of info in those pages...oh and how many folk are looking for a copy
Thanks Grant. Yep for sure there are lots of variables and the max price probably is just a dream.
What I may do is to complete the database. Then concentrate on LPs that have a minimum value of, say, £8 or more - grading them conservatively and sticking these individually at fixed prices on an auction site you may be familiar with ( :lol: ). And the rest (probably 80% or more in numbers) just take whatever Flashback Records will offer. Or offer them at auction in genre batches. Something like that.
Life is too short to chase after the last penny. But am reluctant to just release the whole lot in one go without doing some homework.
Did a few dozen LPs just now. Lots of dross but a few 'finds'.
One in particular is Jade Warrior Last Autumn's Dream. Listed at a min price of £76 and a max price of £320. :stalks:
My copy seems to be in great condition. Spine a slightly worn but cover nice and clean. Actual record seems hardly ever played.
But I can't really remember this album. Made in 1972 - maybe that is a clue why I don't remember. :rolleyes:
Another 'find' is New Order Substance which apparently goes for min of £30.
Lowest price record so far is Level 42 Running in the Family - fantastic value at 25p. :)
Oh, discovered a 1981 version of the Geo-Disc.
Again make sure you have the correct version. that Jade should have the original vertigo swirl on one side. with cover slightly damaged only then maybe mid price for relatively easy sale at say £140 ish
might add discogs sales history if you delve into it on a copy is quite illuminating as well. its hidden but there. you can also check on whats on offer on the bay and check it against completed sales too will give an idea as to what the market wants and is willing to pay.
A Geodisc is just a geodisc, new or original and is worth £20 second hand I would think. great bit of gear.
You mean like this?
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170829/595841210e487fd3218835a454d1af48.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170829/cf24b3d18cf3419d3080d1f03bebae8f.jpg
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yup, that is the one. One on the Bay for about £300... not sold tho
I think it's becoming clear that you don't want them to go to a dealer, ok it might mean a bit of work but selling privately at 'reasonable' prices will be more profitable then a bulk sale to a dealer who will offer pennies for most.
If it was me I'd value them all and cherry pick the ones to sell privately and the dealer can buy the rest or just charity shop them if not worth much.
Once you've discogged the collection you can output it as an excel list which to can then use for any advert.
On eBay remember to check SOLD items as this will be a better indicator of true value me accurately than asking price.
Eg there are VHS copies of Disney movies advertised for 4 figure sums? But are any selling, I don't think so [emoji6]
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/922/DOXDpw.png
here is a graph and info on sales for that record
I think it's becoming clear that you don't want them to go to a dealer, ok it might mean a bit of work but seeing privately at 'reasonable' prices will be more profitable then a bulk sale to a dealer who will offer pennies for most.
If it was me I'd value them all and cherry pick the ones to sell privately and the dealer can buy the rest or just charity shop them if not worth much.
Once you've discogged the collection you can output it as an excel list which to can then use for any advert.
Mike, yes fully agree with you. I want to have the pleasure of cherry picking my collection rather than Mr. No Name dealer. Realistically though I only expect I will 'find' two dozen or so albums worth the trouble of selling individually (what with descriptions, pictures etc).
The balance I probably just sell on the bay as a batch privately or get a dealer to take away at or near minimum values. Something like that.
My next challenge is finding some boxed up LPs I know I have stashed somewhere.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/922/DOXDpw.png
here is a graph and info on sales for that record
Interesting!
So the £300 ones are outliers I guess. Probably try to flog it somewhere between £150-£200 then. Maybe stick it on the bay at £200 buy-it-now or Make Offer. But that is down the road. Got a ton of other stuff to do before I get to selling stuff. Like that bad word called 'work' :)
dave2010
29-08-2017, 16:54
I have a friend who had some really nice classical LPs, and I heard sone of them. They were in good to very good condition. He tried to lose them in charity shops etc. and in the end they just went into the bin. Too late for me to suggest any alternative. Many older people seem to be in this situation. Sad!
Some musicians might take them (for free - better than land fill ...) if the pieces and performances are ones they are interested in - for example string quartets.
Interesting!
So the £300 ones are outliers I guess. Probably try to flog it somewhere between £150-£200 then. Maybe stick it on the bay at £200 buy-it-now or Make Offer. But that is down the road. Got a ton of other stuff to do before I get to selling stuff. Like that bad word called 'work' :)
the nmint ones can go for 250/300, and the vg+ ones a fair bit less. but even a £100 is a result for a record that cost you a £5 or so. covers loses on the others tbh, plus you got all that pleasure out of them too.
Ive a mint Bowie ltd ed numbered santa monica that can go for up to £200 or so but regularly is closer to £60/80. Now I got it for a normal price(not sure what) back in 2008. If I sell it ,it pays for a lot of my collection or buys me something else.Its not something I play as it was just a purchase at time and forgot about really so its a bonus. thats the way to look at any big value ones unless you really want to advertise it for a year.
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