Your “Precious” Isn’t Worth What You Think It Is, A Story About A Record Collection.

When we were teens we all heard stories about rare comic books or toys bringing mega-cash at auction.  At that point, everybody started saving everything. It then goes without saying that when a lot of people have something, it's no longer rare.

I told a couple of people they could go through my album collection and take what they want.  The fact is, the stuff is gathering dust and I'd rather have someone enjoy it, then for it to warp or get mildewed or face whatever other heinous fate happens to things in my garage.  It then occurred to me that they might not just want old Black Sabbath and Rush albums, they might start eyeballing some of my "true collector items".  I went and pulled just a few of my favorites (It's my goal to get my collection down to about 50 albums) and I was surprised at how little they were worth.

When I was a young adult, about the rarest pressings out there were "picture discs".  They sounded like crap, but we're really cool.  Below you'll see a picture disc of "Combat Rocks" from The Clash.

I then started researching the value and it appears to be worth $50.  I then researched a real rarity. The first Guns N' Roses album with the "banned" cover.  Not only do I have the "banned" cover, it's a promo copy which makes it even rarer.

So what's this ultra rate Guns N' Roses L.P. worth?  Maybe $100.  So you're thinking, "that's not bad, $150 for just two of his 1000 albums".  It's not like that. I have probably less than ten items anywhere near as rare as these two.  That's ME, someone who as a d.j. had access to EVERYTHING.  So let's do some math. If I have ten really rare albums worth an average of say $75, I have the potential to make $750.  Add that to the other 990 albums I have and my entire l.p. collection is worth about $1750.

Now, if you would have told me 35 years ago that I would have to pack and unpack those albums, drag them all over the country, not listen to some so they would stay in great conditions and so on....I would have said "screw it" then and there.