Advice On Selling My Record Collection

[Rob1159]

Hi I am looking for some advice in selling my record collection due to my ill health and pending medical bills as I live in Los Angeles.

The majority of my records I actually brought over here with me back in 1980 when I moved to LA from North Wales. I have not played them in over 25 years I figure they will give more pleasure to people who collect today than just sitting in my record box here. Trouble is I am not sure about how to go about selling them should I put together a complete listing and post on here, put them on eBay, my other concern is grading them correctly to today’s standard, I would think most are pretty much mint, also where would be a good place to find out about pricing as I have no real idea what stuff goes for today. Appreciate any good ideas about going about this task.

Thanks for your help and advice. Rob

[Marc Forrest]

hi rob, sorry to hear about your health problems. my advice would be to check them via popsike.com first for a rough idea of their todays market value. than offer the high end items to either raresoulman.co.uk or raresoulvinyl.co.uk for their auctions. the mediocre stuff (value-wise) you should advertise on here, sell the left-overs via ebay. best of luck!

[Guest soulmanuk]

Cant see anyone giving better advice than that Rob.

Good shout Marc.

[Britmusicsoulfan]

How many records are there?

[purist]

I think you've missed out some info vital to getting the correct advice. Firstly, you've failed to mention quantity. If you have a collection that runs a few hundred originals best advice would be different than someone who has a collection that runs into thousands, with bigger quantity then the danger is that once you sell off the big ticket items nobody will really want the rest at average values. Every week lots of records in the middle range fail to attract even a single bid on ebay or source, not because they are bad records or in bad condition, but because many collectors only chase certain titles at any given time.

If I was going to advise you on the best way to sell up I'd say approach pete smith (or somebody like him) and get him to sell them for you on consignment. Pete has a strong repuation, and the right customer base. Then he'd do all the work and he'd get the best price but would actually get them sold (there's no point anybody saying "you could get more" for certain items when its about getting them sold. Selling 10% of your collection and being stuck with the other 90% just so you got another few $$$ on 4 records doesn't make any sense to me when you are trying to realise the maximum amount of cash)

The downside to having somebody sell them this way is that you dont get any money up front, but if the aim is to get a large quantity gone in a reasonable amount of time for a decent percentage then consider this. I'm fairly sure there's a regular seller in the US who would do a similar job in a similar way, but you'd need to do research into their reputation.

I'm guessing any consignment seller would give you an approx idea of what you could expect before you go into the deal, and if its somebody who really knows the trade then they know what the best price would be, and what titles sell and which don't. You will see what prices they are selling them at if you get a copy of their sales list, and you'll know what percentage of that amount is coming back to you.

Whatever you do, (selling on soulsource/ebay/selling to a dealer/making parcels and selling them off to different dealers/etc, there's plenty of different options) I think you'll be very unhappy if you let anybody "cherry pick" your collection for the cream/goodies first. Use the best records to sell the middle and lower records.. Time is the factor that only you can dictate. A friend of mine was offered 12,000 for his collection by a major dealer. The money would have been paid over a matter of weeks (6 postdated cheques of £2k each). Instead the records were sold individually over a two year period and so far have realised almost 50,000 with 30% of the records still unsold with some cream still left. Swings and roundabouts, more time might equal more money but if the world economy continues to go downwards then maybe next year nobody will be buying records???

best of luck whatever you decide.

[purist]

How many records are there?

great minds think alike ;-)

[Kris Holmes]

agree with what's been said above. if time is a factor, sell them in bulk to a reputable dealer. if you have the time to sell them individually yourself on whatever medium, then go that route. Hard to know though without knowing how many you are talking about. A small collection of 1000 or so is a different kettle of fish to a large collection of say 10000.

When I got out of my 78 collection 10 years ago I had the time & patience to individually move them on ebay & got more than what Tefteller would have offered me for the lot.

if you do sell them individually yourself be prepared to have a bunch of unsellables left over.

[Rob1159]

Sorry I never thought to list how many I have, it is not a large quantity by any means roughly 500 45’s the majority are originals. The collection ranges from what was being played back in the 70’s as I started to collect around 71 to 78 time frame, although I sold the bulk before I left Wales. I have around 50 albums relating to Northern and Motown. I guess I need to just make a start and make a list up as that seems the most logical. I have plenty of time for that now I am on disability recovering, I don't think I need to rush that fast as I can cover some of the medical bills over time hopefully, but this illness has made me realize it is silly to just let them sit in a box when others can hopefully enjoy them.

I appreciate all the advice so far, thank you. Cheers Rob

[Philippe]

Rob, you can get an idea of the price of your records on the site CollectorsFrenzy : https://collectorsfrenzy.com/

[Ernie Andrews]

But isnt it about needs must in this case. Looking at Prices on Popsike etc makes people think thats what they are going to get for theirs. So If Rob puts top end prices on he might sell very few and then become stressed when his bills do mount up. It depends what Rob has.

I lose my rag with Charity shops selling collectables as they say Oh this man said it was worth this! They have lost the plot of what they are trying to do sell stuff to use the money for better purposes! Rob If I need money very badly I would probably sell on here as a general rule for about 50% of book guide as its quick rather than ebay. Infact I did that this week with one item as I need a bit of cash to buy something on ebay without having to delve my paypal account into my bank account!

Rob PM Pete Smith as hes a reasonable person to give you advice on any list you present.

Hope your health improves Sir!

PS where from North Wales did you emigrate?

[Steve Foran]

Cant disagree with that both Pete S and raresoulman are top people in my book.

[Pete S]

Rob If I need money very badly I would probably sell on here as a general rule for about 50% of book guide as its quick rather than ebay.

So would I, and I often do.

[Chalky]

Popsike and collectors frenzy are the last places I would look to price a collection, why folk suggest these two alone is beyond me. You are far better off searching sales on here and other sites for listed sales. Failing that approach a dealer who if you have a list will more than likely price them for you and might even offer you a price for the job lot although getting 500 discs from LA will be costly.

Use popsike and CF as a last resort, auction prices are more often than not a true reflection of a current price. Demand, supply, quantity turning up etc as all factors in the current price. I wold invest in a price guide first, better guide than those two sites, Tim Brown has an online guide, fine for many but many also need updating.

[Pete S]

Popsike and collectors frenzy are the last places I would look to price a collection, why folk suggest these two alone is beyond me. You are far better off searching sales on here and other sites for listed sales. Failing that approach a dealer who if you have a list will more than likely price them for you and might even offer you a price for the job lot although getting 500 discs from LA will be costly.

Spot on. Best place to get an accurate price? - here on Soul Source.

[boba]

Popsike and collectors frenzy are the last places I would look to price a collection, why folk suggest these two alone is beyond me. You are far better off searching sales on here and other sites for listed sales. Failing that approach a dealer who if you have a list will more than likely price them for you and might even offer you a price for the job lot although getting 500 discs from LA will be costly.

Use popsike and CF as a last resort, auction prices are more often than not a true reflection of a current price. Demand, supply, quantity turning up etc as all factors in the current price. I wold invest in a price guide first, better guide than those two sites, Tim Brown has an online guide, fine for many but many also need updating.

I never understand why you keep saying this. They're the first places I'd look and I would sort by the date to get a reflection of the price trend. They are sources of actual record sales, not hypothetical prices that you would never really get.

[Chalky]

There's too many anomalies with auction prices and the range in prices leaves many none the wiser. Auction prices aren't a trend, they are all too often two loons who have had the red auction most descend over them and in the process paying way over the odds. At the other end many auction items go unsold or fail to achieve a realistic real world price.

If you had a record auctioned every month and they achieved similar result then yes you could get a realistic value but that rarely happens. Many items don't even make Popsike and many have been removed.

[boba]

There's too many anomalies with auction prices and the range in prices leaves many none the wiser. Auction prices aren't a trend, they are all too often two loons who have had the red auction most descend over them and in the process paying way over the odds. At the other end many auction items go unsold or fail to achieve a realistic real world price.

If you had a record auctioned every month and they achieved similar result then yes you could get a realistic value but that rarely happens. Many items don't even make Popsike and many have been removed.

Obviously you have to know how to read the results and understand that there might be outliers. Plenty of items have tons of sales though and clear trends. Especially standard collection records that are not ultra-rare. If there are only a couple results for a super rare record then yes, you probably need more info, but the popsike info doesn't even hurt you in that case.

[Britmusicsoulfan]

I'm in the States and would fancy a look at the list. Cheers.

[Kris Holmes]

I would look at Collectors Frenzy/Popsike first. But you have to use the data right. Maybe grab the median price & then go up or down until you find the closest to the median listing in the condition you have. Something like that. I mean you can analyze the hell out of any data. Misuse of Manship's prices, misuse of Soul Source prices etc. Remember, if you look at somewhere like Manship's site or Soul Source, those prices tend to be a touch high & you're not knowing really if that stuff is selling for the prices. Manship's price guide is kinda high too, keeping in mind it is for mint copies & includes GST. Current ebay listings, well you have no idea how long some crazily priced 45 has been sitting there rolling over, remember that stuff hasn't sold yet. Collectors Frenzy & Popsike are fairly incomplete with data coming & going all the time, but at least you see what things sold for. Remember though, it doesn't say whether or not the transaction was completed so will show high abnormalities which may have fallen through for whatever reason & not be reflective of a record's going rate.

At the end of the day you'll probably do ok listing individuals auction style on ebay with 9.99 no reserve starting bids, let a market decide.

Don't underestimate the power of a strong, well advertised no reserve auction list.

Edited November 14, 2012 by Kris Holmes

[Chalky]

Obviously you have to know how to read the results and understand that there might be outliers. Plenty of items have tons of sales though and clear trends. Especially standard collection records that are not ultra-rare. If there are only a couple results for a super rare record then yes, you probably need more info, but the popsike info doesn't even hurt you in that case.

Standard collection fillers I would use Tim's online guide, he won't be far off with those and it would be quicker than sorting the average price out on somethng like popsike. Besides I wouldn't have though many fillers on there, too cheap? I still think the best guide to a price is a solid sale price either via lists, dealers or on the shop floor. Prices via popsike etc I would use after I'd exhausted my first preference.

Each to their own I guess.

500 records I'd list on here in look at your box 30 at a time and get the price that way. Be as accurate as anywhere.

[Cover-up]

I still think the best guide to a price is a solid sale price either via lists, dealers or on the shop floor. Prices via popsike etc I would use after I'd exhausted my first preference.

Surely there's no way of knowing if anything has sold for those prices, though? If you see a record on the shop floor then it hasn't sold. Meaning? It's just new out in the racks OR it's too expensive and has been sitting for months? If a record HAS sold, you're not going to see it... You see an Anglo American list - you phone up for one title to hear Rick's familar laugh as you're the 84th person to ask for it. And the rest of the records on the list? Sold or unsold?

I agree popsike can be a dangerous tool - but if you always "sort by date", then it's easy to see if a record is going up or down or is just all over the shop. I've heard tales of shop owners who use the "arrange by price" button to show highest prices first working down when they're trying to sell something - and listing lowest prices up when they're trying to buy something! Showing customers the screen, like they're doing them a favour...

Edited November 15, 2012 by cover-up

[Guest Brian Ellis]

I would use Tim's online guide, he won't be far off

Richard Caiton - 'I like to get near you' - Up Tight 151 - £300

Hmmm?

Edited November 16, 2012 by Brian Ellis

[Rob1159]

I really do appreciate everyone’s input and advice, I have started to make up the record listing, by no means is there any super rare stuff it is probably what is considered middle of the road stuff I guess so apologize if it got anyone excited thinking there was this super rare collection coming out, it just ranges from stuff like Rubin, Velvets, Doni Burdick, Ivories, high keys, etc. . Unfortunately I am still quite sick at the moment and so it is taking me a bit of time to sort out, what with continuous doctors’ appointments, hospital stays and generally just feeling like crap. What I will do is post a bunch across the board in the records for sale. Thanks, Cheers Rob

[Guest Brian Ellis]

Rubin, Velvets, Doni Burdick, Ivories, high keys,

-----------------

If these are the records I'm thinking of, then they're not insignificant in terms of value.

[Kris Holmes]

let the PM's begin.............

[Chalky]

Richard Caiton - 'I like to get near you' - Up Tight 151 - £300

Hmmm?

What else did I say? I said for standard collection fillers. I also said in another post many need updating, this being one of them.

[dthedrug]

HI My advice is a) estimate the value & remove the crown jewels, b) get 3 reputable dealers to value the records. minus the crown jewels, c) follow the advice given above, remember that the value of many records is lower and added to that a dealer will offer you half your value, d) never tell a dealer that you need money for any reason, they will always take advantage, Always. e) sell the crown jewels on here via ebay, DAVE K