24 Hours on Ebay, Redux
So while perusing my 24 hours on eBay I found two listings so tempting I had to place a bid. Well, I didn’t have to, but if you’re reading this site you know exactly what I mean. Here’s one of the records: Thelonious Monk, Genius of Modern Music Volume 2. This was clearly an original 10-inch pressing. The seller described it as being in VG++ condition for the record and “very good” for the cover, although the cover looked quite nice in the listing. There were about four hours left in the auction when I came upon the listing and there were no bidders with a start price of $85. I looked again at the listing, and I couldn’t figure out why there was no interest. Then I looked at the shelves in my office and, alas, there is no copy of this record in my collection. Perhaps, I figured, I could get this record at what I would consider to be a reasonable price, which would have been anything under $125 or so. So I put in a snipe bid, waited, waited some more, went onto eBay and, tada, I won the auction at $90. Three bidders came in at the end, but the second highest was only $89. This will be a nice addition to my collection: Another 10-inch Blue Note to fill in a gap. Hopefully my guess about the condition is correct.
I bid on this next record purely for the reason that the bidding seemed to be so low:
Miles Davis, Relaxin’, Prestige 7129. This was an original New York pressing. The seller was meticulous in describing the record with every detail and every flaw. It’s one of these records that was graded at VG or VG+ and could wind up being in much better condition with a cleaning. Also, the seller graded the cover at VG, but it looked and sounded better than that. My guess was that the seller gave out so much information about the condition and that it might scare off buyers. I can see why the seller wanted to to that, to avoid any problems down the road. Still, the bidding on this record was sitting at just $25 with a few hours to go. Way underpriced. Now, I do have two original copies of this record and I don’t need it, but for the right price, who amongst us wouldn’t buy it? Certainly not me. So I tried a snipe of about $50. Hah! Lots of people must have had the same idea and the bidding showed a frenzy in the last hour, and a lot of apparent snipes in the last 10 seconds, including mine. It sold for $200. Good thing I didn’t really desire it.
Well, Al, congratulations with the Monk 10″ record. Looks the business indeed, let’s hope it’ll be as good as we think it is, since I, too, think it looks better than the seller describes.
I was an interested bidder in that copy of Relaxin’ as well. The missing link in my Workin’ Cookin’ Steamin’ collection! Alas I did not win it either.
That Monk 10″ looks tip-top. Nicely done.
Yeah, hope it is Very Good ++ and not Good ++ (as the description reads a little funny) !
Congrats on the Monk 10″. I’ve always found it odd that Monk records aren’t as “valuable” as I would suspect. To me, he’s the perfect combination under-appreciated in his time (i.e. fewer records sold when originally released) and iconic talent (i.e. more demand in later years). You’d think that would equate to collectible prices for his records? Maybe I’m overestimating his current day demand because he’s still such a challenging listen for most people? Any thoughts?
I wonder what the rarest Monk LP is? A lot of them are pretty common, though I guess that goes for Miles and Coltrane LPs too and those consistently get there…
According to PopSike, the higest price ever paid for Monk was $3062 for Monk’s Music (RIV 242), though I know damn well that LP is not that rare. Highest paid this year was $1000 for a signed M- BN 1511. Finally, a Pres 7075 (w’ Rollins) nm/VG+++ (Djukic) sold for $1300 in 1908. No info on true rarity
BTW, I think Al’s 10 incher is likely more rare than any of these, but 10-inchers, you know……
that date for the Monk-Rollins sale was 2008 of course – prob best to have my morning coffee before I write these things
Completely agree Henry. Always perplexed when I find top Monk pressings, especially early iconic Riversides, for very affordable prices. For whatever reason, his records appear to be merely records, and not faceless commodities, and thus (thankfully) don’t command the impossible prices.
Joe L, I second your thankfulness. Love getting Monk originals for great prices. I just can’t fathom how. We’ll just keep the secret going…
Last year, got a Mulligan Meets Monk original (no picture on the cover), VG++ for cover and record…for $5 from a local record store which, from my experience, really knows how to price records. It’s definitely not the rarest record in the world, but $5? REALLY?!?! And BN Liberties consistently selling for $40+…this world has no logic.
I didn’t ask questions…fastest and best $5 I’ve ever spent.
Pingback: Four Classics From the Jazz Collector Era | jazzcollector.com