Frankie Crocker

Fair point Ted. Holly St James being a good example. But, if the UK collectors have shelled out big money on auction wins, you can't fault them for wanting to recoup their outlay. It looks like prices in both the US and UK continue to rise despite the currency plunge with no sign of US dealers discounting in the face of global demand.

Global Shipping enables eBay to make a token contribution to customs charges at the expense of the buyer. They have set up a shell company to action this and syphon funds offshore to Luxembourg. Record buyers can request the seller amend the mode of postage but this does cause difficulties. The last time I bought a US record was 29th September and I bought one today to end a barren spell of just under a month. Whether this was because there's been less out there to bid for or due to the pound's depreciation, I'm not sure. The condition of many records just lately has been off-putting but at the same time, the pound has lost vital purchasing power that would otherwise enable bidders to contend competitively.

A sore point. I bid a substantial sum but less than the $1,500 I would have bid three months ago. So, this one escaped my clutches because of the poor exchange rate. Also a good example of how a previous big sale (in Texas), is soon followed by another copy as a patient seller thinks now's the time...

Agreed. Just got in from the All Dayer at The Dome in north London - this was played and it packed the floor.

You get caught six ways. US Post cost. eBay fees. PayPal fees. Customs charges. Post Office service charges. Credit card interest charges. And now to top it all off, an exchange rate that does no favours. I thought hobbies were supposed to be fun...

Wow. Great sound but a disc in this condition... Someone must have been pretty desperate for it.

Styrene sounds tinny if you flick it with a fingernail. Greater probability of sound distortion with styrene, especially on the higher notes and particularly on well played copies. Probably lighter. Can sometimes see the join in the material when cooled in the press. A poor substitute for vinyl but if you want an original record, you may only get one on styrene so you're stuck with the inferior medium. Mirwood boots sadly all too common as LA was boosters paradise back in the early days.

Hi Ted. Good to hear you're on the mend. Doctors orders say there's only one thing for you...don't go looking at any record lists priced in dollars for the next two years until sterling recovers...

Hi Hilda. Welcome back. I like the term 'reset' as it may adjust the dollar value of records to come into line with the fall of sterling. Do us record buyers sit back and wait or should the US dealers wake up and take the initiative?

Trips to the US for the sole purpose of record searching are a financial loss and have been for a while. Family holidays to the US are all the better for a spot of crate digging, picking up a stash from your contact, taking in a record convention and generally doing what you feel although the fun has gone out shopping lately with the currency fall. Isits yo hard working US record dealers continue to be fruitful in my experience but the days of $3 rarities are long gone.

Very true. It helps to have a network of reliable contracts and up-to-date info. I had a good few records from David Foreman when he did Goldmine/Discoveries adverts and record fairs.

It's been putting me off just lately, hence the original post. Auction or set-sale prices, we could be burning our fingers here. Negative equity now creeping into record collections, never mind the housing market.

Cheers Russ. That's inelastic demand for you. Affordability is a function of pay, savings, costs of records and a host of other variables. Sure, we all have our 'top wants' and some might go out on a limb for them, but paying 20% on a set-sale item can be hard to justify when you're just starting to build a collection.

Not worried, Donald won't become President. Even Donald Duck wears a Donald Trump watch. And, Donald Duck and his mates pay their taxes. Perhaps with this global uncertainty, maybe we should all be buying vinyl like there's no tomorrow.

For sure, it's a wake up call. If that comes to pass, then record buyers may well have to adjust their spending. That said, I'm curious to know if US dealers will be making any reductions to come into line with currency changes as the era of the '$150 record' is becoming a distant memory. Even this figure which equated to £100 for several years was a benchmark arising from Manship publications that cited a 20% VAT component within the priceguide quote.

Nice one Russ. Not the Timmy Williams on Mala then?

Very good point. The last five records I bought from the US are with a contact in Ohio and will await my arrival next year for collection. With internal US postage at $3-4, it makes little sense to pay for dozens of packets per year crossing the Atlantic one by one. Good to hear about the situation across the pond - I like to know how our old colonies are doing now they've gained independence...

I'm heading there in a fortnight but suspect that shopping will need to be prudent. Sure, if I see something nice record-wise , I'll end up paying more than I'd like for it but that's often the case anyway and you kid yourself that it was justifiable as it was mint or whatever.

Thanks for the comments - please keep them coming. So far, concerns regarding postage costs and customs charges appear to outweigh currency fluctuations when it comes to buying from the US.

So why are the money merchants switching funds from one account to another apart from making a profit on the trade? Why the short-term overreaction when the long term prognosis is optimistic? The EU is a house of cards on the brink of crumbling so why the fear of UK stagnation when the opposite may be more likely? And more to the point, why are my records costing more? There's talk now of Christmas being spoiled by rising prices. Next year it will be holidaymakers staying at home instead of Disneyland. If and when the EU (and UK) clamps down on Apple, Amazon, Starbucks etc there won't be so much confidence in US currency yet this is starting to happen. I blame the politicians for much of the uncertainty but the bankers are making things worse.

Now the exchange rate has touched $1.20 to the pound, has anyone decided to put record buying on hold for the time being? As the pound has recently lost 20% of it's value, can we expect to buy that $150 record for $120 any time soon? Is this another crisis to blame on the banker-boys or is there a good reason for the postman making fewer trips up my path?

Nine points for me and maybe one other but need to check. Let a Mike Pedicin through my fingers at $400 a couple of years ago...slight oversight.

Thanks for posting Mike. Helps to keep us on our toes. Plenty here I bid on but didn't win any of them. Must try harder...

That one on eBay went for a fair bit. Once easy to pick up, now getting very tricky.

Two big sounds up for grabs and a few bargains. PM to reserve please. Price includes postage, packing and Special Delivery to UK address for orders over £100. Payment via PayPal please but buyer covers fees. Thanks for looking. Pamela Beaty-Talking Eyes-Tip WD: £325 VG+ XOL Johnny Vanelli-Seven Days Of Loving You-Pre Vue: £325 Excellent, styrene separation line NAP SOLD Traits-Too Good To Be True-Pacemaker: £50 Excellent Reflections-You Don't Love Me-Went: £50 Excellent, slight label repairs Patience Valentine-Waking Up To A Dream-Thrush: £35 M- Marvelle and the Blue Mats-Mellow Man-Dynamic Sound: £40 M- unplayed copy SOLD