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Antique Spotlight On...Collecting Records!

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What do (almost) all of us have in common? The love and enjoyment of music. Whether it’s the classical symphonies (Beethoven and Mozart). The country sounds of old (Patsy Cline) and new (Carrie Underwood). The many styles of pop, rock and blues (Michael Jackson, Aerosmith, Rolling Stones and Muddy Waters) or anything else in-between, there are music lovers everywhere.

But when did the ability to purchase and collect your favorite music start and how has it evolved? Enjoy our overview on the history of vinyl and what makes a record valuable.

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Below is a list of the top ten most valuable records. (Sources referenced include Wikipedia, Record Collector Magazine, Popsike, Good Rockin' Tonight and others.)

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1. John Lennon & Yoko Ono – "Double Fantasy"

(Geffen US Album, 1980) Note: Autographed by Lennon five hours before Mark David Chapman assassinated him.

Value: $525,000

2. The Quarrymen –

“That’ll Be the Day”/”In Spite Of All The Danger”

(UK 78 RPM, Acetate in plain sleeve, 1958) Note: Only one copy made. Value: $180,000

3. The Beatles –

Yesterday and Today

(Capitol, US Album in ‘butcher’ sleeve, 1966)

Value: $38,500, though more typical prices range from $150-$7500

4. Bob Dylan –

"The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan"

(CBS, US album, stereo 1963 featuring 4 tracks deleted from subsequent releases)

Value: $35,000

5. Long Cleve Reed & Little Harvey Hull –

“Original Stack O’Lee Blues”

(Black Patti, US 78 RPM in plain sleeve, 1927) Value: $30,000

6. Frank Wilson –

“Do I Love You?”

(Tamla Motown, US 7” 45 RPM in plain sleeve, 1965)

Value: $30,000

7. Velvet Underground & Nico – "The Velvet Underground and Nico"

(US Album Acetate, in plain sleeve, 1966 with alternate versions of tracks from official release)

Value: estimate $25,200

8. Elvis Presley -

"Stay Away, Joe"

(US, RCA Victor UNRM-9408, 1967) Note: One side promotional album. Value: $25,000

9. The Five Sharps -

“Stormy Weather”

(US, Jubilee 5104, 78 RPM, 1953) Value: $25,000

10. The Hornets -

“I Can’t Believe”

(US, States 127, 78 RPM, 1953) Value: $25,000

The Top Ten Most Valuable Records

Below is a list of the top ten albums ever released according to Rolling Stone Magazine. We also are providing a link to the website so you can see the full list of 500.

The Top Ten Albums

Of All Time

1. The Beatles –

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1967)

2. The Beach Boys –

“Pet Sounds” (1966)

3. The Beatles –

"Revolver" (1966)

4. Bob Dylan –

"Highway 61 Revisited" (1965)

5. The Beatles –

“Rubber Soul” (1965)

6. Marvin Gaye –

“What's Going On?” (1970)

7. The Rolling Stones –

"Exile On Main Street" (1972)

8. The Clash -

"London Calling" (1980)

9. Bob Dylan -

“Blonde On Blonde” (1966)

10. The Beatles -

“The White Album” (1968)

A Brief History Of The Vinyl Record

The first commercially available LPs appeared in 1930. These were produced by RCA Victor and were marketed as "Program Transcription" discs. These discs were considered revolutionary and were designed to play at 33⅓ rpm and pressed on a 12" diameter flexible plastic disc. These early discs were a huge failure for several reasons mainly due to their cost. At the time of the Great Depression, this was especially a major drawback.

During and after WWII the shortage of shellac supplies became an issue in the production of 78 rpm records leading many new 78s to be produced with vinyl. These included the V-Discs distributed to US troops during WWII. Using vinyl also provided a lower noise level during playback than shellac resulting in better sound quality.

In 1948, Columbia Records introduced what we now know as the 12” LP. The new Columbia design allowed for an inexpensive playback system and began a rivalry between RCA’s 7” 45 rpm format and Columbia’s 12” 33⅓ format. After a two year war (1948-1950) both formats became standard. The 7” used for singles or EPs (extended play) while the 12” became the standard LP (long play) format.

After the introduction of expensive, high-quality stereo reel-to-reel tapes in 1955, technology was created for playing stereo sound on a LP disc in 1957. By 1968, the production of mono LP records and equipment largely ceased to exist.

In 1972, due to 8-track tapes and four channel reel-to-reels, the quadraphonic vinyl LPs arrived on the market. Though popular at first, the many competing formats were not cross compatible. This resulted in a commercial failure and they were no longer made by 1980.

Since the initial introduction of vinyl records, the 1970s and 1980s saw many other, improved versions of vinyl records released including “direct-to-disc” (an audiophile’s favorite), DBX-encoded discs, half-speed mastered, and original master discs. These all created a higher sound quality but due to the cost, prohibited their popularity with the general public.

The late 1970s and 1980s saw the use of highly advanced disc cutting equipment, which improved the dynamic range and reduced distortion of mass-produced records, using techniques marketed by CBS and Teldec.

Although replaced by digital media such as the compact disc and now the MP3 as a mass-market music medium, vinyl records continue to be manufactured and sold today. We are even seeing a resurgence of vinyl LP releases. Now, completely new generations of potential collectors are making the hobby of record collecting popular again.

What Makes A Record Valuable?

Many variables make one record more valuable than another does. More often than not many of the records you might think are valuable aren’t.

Popularity of an artist – While this is a factor, just because the artist is popular does not mean their albums are valuable. There are so many fans of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Elvis and Bruce Springsteen that albums were produced in large quantities and therefore readily available. But, there are some records from these artists that are rare and can be quite valuable (see the 10 most valuable records list on the right).

Popularity of a genre – There are collectors who love to collect only certain genres of music so a record that might have limited value among the majority of collectors could be quite valuable to collectors of that specific genre of music.

The number of records made – If a record was produced in large quantities its value will be very limited. Beware of editions marked “limited edition” as not all limited editions really were.

The record label – Sometimes artists begin on small, independent labels where the quantities made are very limited. If the artist then signs with a large label, that label may re-issue the small releases on a large scale. The new version will be worth very little, however, the independent label version may be more valuable.

Is a record available elsewhere – Some records that were valuable due to being scarce later become available on CD or MP3. This makes the record value fall because the music is now readily available.

Where did the record come from – In almost all cases an imported album will be more valuable than a domestic version. Many times, the import will have different tracks, mixes, cover art, etc. This is especially true for records imported from Japan. Packaging is superior with features included such as extra liner notes and complete song lyrics.

Condition – This is pretty cut and dry. Albums in bad condition are very rarely worth anything. In addition, album covers in bad condition make an otherwise valuable album much less so.

Age – This can work both for and against the collector. As time goes on many records will see a decline in quantities available. If a once popular artist is no longer thought of that way and has a large decline in fans, it will usually be reflected in the value of that artist's records.

Technology – As technology changes and the availability of equipment is lost the values for certain formats also decline. An example is the 78 rpm record. Though popular well into the 50s, by the 70s very few record players had the ability to play them so the values of 78s have heavily decreased.

Who knows what tomorrow’s technology will bring in the music industry. No matter what format, the most important thing about collecting music is to enjoy what you collect. Town & Country Antiques Mall contains many dealers with large quantities of both LPs and 45s. Come check out the great selection and add something new to your collection.

Article & Information Researched & Written by Blue Harvest Creative

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The 45 Or Single (top) & The LP Or Album (bottom) Have Experienced A Resurgence In Popularity

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