Estimating the value of your records
There are various methods in which you can estimate the value of your vinyl recordings. Some are simple, others require a certain amount of leg-work. Whether you are buying, selling, or just curious about the value of your collection, it's important that you take the time, and do your homework. After all...the more research you do now, will either save you or make you money in the long run.
Price Guides
Looking on-line at
Musicpriceguide record price guides that is perhaps the most common and easiest method for establishing the value of your recordings. Another resource are books price guides available from a number of sources, price guides can be obtained at full retail price, discounted price, or used for free.
Local book stores
will usually offer a number of price guides and collector's catalogs. If you find that the selection is limited, they will order a specific guide for you...if still in print. The major advantage of purchasing a book from the local book store is the ability to actually view the item that you are about to purchase. You may decide that, after flipping through the pages, the guide is not suited to your needs. Where as by buying off the internet, you don't have that luxury.
Online book outlets make it easy, you just let your fingers do the shopping! Plus, they usually have a far greater variety of price guides and collector's books to choose from. Because of low overhead, or their cost to operate a business, they can often offer merchandise at a discount. Additionally, if the company is operating outside you own state, the sale is usually "tax free". Although any tax benefit, may be offset by the cost of shipping.
The library will sometimes carry a price guide or two. If they don't have the book you want, perhaps they can have a copy transferred from another library within the region. Although the guide may not be a current edition, it's use is free.
Record Stores
local record store may be an excellent source of information. Either by browsing the bins, looking for the same or similar discs that you have in your collection. Or just by asking the salesperson behind the counter.
The
online record store
And like the owner of the local shop, the online dealer may offer a free quote.
A great place to find online record stores is
Webmusicbid.com.
Online Auction Houses
A extremely popular method for the buying or selling records has been the online auction house. There, you can check the final auction price that the record has brought. Although this might not be a true indication of the record's real value, it does show what collector's are paying for certain discs.
There are a number of online auction houses to choose from. But most certainly the largest is eBay.com
Online Price Guides
Return to our Homepage to see a list of
Record Price guide Rsource