Putting A Value On Vinyl Records- Part One
Robert Benson - April 14th 2008
-
One element of the ever changing music industry is that the
sale of vinyl records has increased and that these audio
treasures are still in demand. In our age of digital
products and downloads, there are still millions who prefer
the sound and experience of vinyl records. In this two part
article, let's explore how a person can ascertain just how
much a particular record is worth.
There are many factors and variables that come into play,
whether buying or selling records. The 'grading' of a record is
very subjective and because no two people grade the record the
same, many problems arise when reselling new and used
vinyl.
The value of a record is, and this is putting it in a very
simplistic way, is what a person is willing to pay another
person or business for the record. But there are many other
variables that must be considered to put a value on a record,
let's look at them:
There is a common misconception that because a record is old,
that it is valuable. On the contrary, some records that are
just a few months old have more value than some that are 50
years old. And, while it is true that some bands and artists
are more sought after and command a better resale price, the
condition of the record is paramount, whether the record is a
week old or seventy years old; age is not a determining factor,
but condition is.
There are several different methods of grading records and
unfortunately there is no 'standard' that everyone uses. But
let's look at one of the more widely accepted grading methods,
which is in the 'Rockin' Records price guide, written by the
genre's leading authority; Jerry Osborne. In this method, the
record are given a certain 'grade' as to their condition, here
are the grades:
Mint (M)- an absolutely perfect record in every way-to allow
for a tiny blemish or flaw, this record would be considered
Near Mint, which is the highest grade used the in the Osborne
record price guides and what the prices in the record guides
reflect.
Very Good (VG) - records in this condition should have a
minimum of visual or audio imperfections that do not detract
from your enjoyment and listening pleasure. You may see a plus
or minus after this grade.
Good (G) - From a practical standpoint, this grade may mean the
record is a good enough copy to fill a gap in your collection
until you can secure a better copy. This record will show
obvious signs of wear and tear and play all the way through
without skipping.
Osborne explains what you can expect using the following
formula. For very good condition, the record is worth 25-50% of
the Near Mint price listed in his guides. For Good, figure
10-25% of the near mint price given in his guides. Another
common mistake is that people take the price in the guides,
grade the record and then do not 'downgrade' for the flaws and
condition issues.
Another confusing aspect to this method is that some records
might be listed as VG + or VG- or VG++ or NM-. But, what
exactly is the person grading the record mean with these
notations? Is it for the record, the sleeve, the LP jacket or
the record itself? You can see why this way of grading can be
very confusing to someone just starting a record
collection.
Osborne also suggests a ten point grading scale and some feel
that this system allows for a more precise description of the
record than the mint, very good, good scale. Here is the
scale:
10-Mint
9- Near Mint
8- better than VG but below NM
7- VG
6- better than Good but below VG
5- Good
4- better than Poor but below Good
3- Poor
2 and 1- why bother adding these to a collection?
I prefer the ten point scale, as it eliminates some of the
confusion and provides a better description than VG_ or VG++ or
G-. One important factor that Osborne stresses is to be honest
about the condition and grade, meaning apply the same standard
to the record you want to buy or sell as you would want the
seller or buyer to give. But, and this goes along with
Osborne's recommendation, is a TRUST factor. You must assume
and trust that the person giving the grade to the record is
honest and will be held accountable for the grade.
But just because a record is visually acceptable may not mean
it plays that way, so one must take that into consideration as
well. So if you are buying a record you may also ask if it
plays the grade that it was given. A long time ago, these two
went together, but it seems that we have gotten away from
this.
Another element in the grading process, and I have seen this
done several ways, is the condition of the LP jacket, picture
sleeve, inserts and liner notes. Some sellers may give you two
ratings, one for the record and one for the other elements.
There are some very valuable album covers and picture sleeves
(from 45 rpm records) and these must also be accounted for in
the selling price or the value of a vinyl record.
As you can see, this is a 'gray area' when buying and selling
vinyl and one that is very subjective. Condition is the most
important factor when buying and selling vinyl and when buying
records you must be able to find a trustworthy seller and
ascertain which method they are using to grade what they have
for sale. And, as previously stated, the record price guides
lists the prices for records in near mint condition, so that
must be taken into account. Obviously, this all can be a bit
confusing for a beginner, but a little common sense and
education can help any buyer in their quest to add to their
collection.
In part two, we will discuss some other
important elements that go into finding what the value is
for a vinyl record.
Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record
collecting and operates http://www.collectingvinylrecords.com,
where you can pick up a copy of his ebook called "The
Fascinating Hobby Of Vinyl Record Collecting."
Source: http://www.megamusictalent.com
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