Updating the $2,000/$1,500 Bins
I step away from eBay for a few days and come back and my watch list looks like it has exploded with records in the $1,000 and even $2,000 bin. First there was this from our friends at Euclid Records: J. R. Monterose, In Action, Studio 4 100. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ for the cover. It sold for $2,175. We have seen this one sell for more than $2,000 in the Jazz Collector Price Guide, but this is a new high for us. To me, it’s almost always a surprise when a record sells for more than $2,000. You’d think I’d be used to it by now.
Speaking of $2,000 records, there was also Johnny Griffin, A Blowing Session, Blue Note 1559. This was an original pressing listed in M- condition for the record and VG++ or M- for the cover. In a previous post I admonished the seller for the poor quality of his picture. Turns out the seller is one of our regular readers and, in fact, someone I have had very pleasant dealings with over the years. So I will be a little bit more circumspect in some of my comments. Although, it really was a poor picture. No matter. The record sold for $2,181.
This one, from the same seller as the Griffin, didn’t quite make it to the $2,000 bin, but it gave it a good run: Donald Byrd, Byrd Jazz, Transition 5. This one was probably VG++ for the record and M- for both the cover and the booklet, which was included. It sold for $1,531.
Yes , I have to admit , some prices still amaze me as well.
How long will it be before we have the $5,000 + bin ?
This MOnterose is a rarity. Found my NM copy at “Buy It Now : 9.99” at the glorious Ebay beginnings, when nobody knew exactly what was on the garage. 🙂
Nice! I just have the VSOP issue. Excellent album.
I guess we’ve all had our great buys (although they are certainly becoming more rare); but I would really appreciate it if you wouldn’t bring them to our attention – it just makes me sick, especially if the album s one I’ve been salivating over for years!
(just kidding Michel)
Earl, that’s right ! But as a collector you can imagine how many bad buys / or bad luck i had for one (or two) great finds ! 🙂
i have had comparably few bad buys for the handful of good ones i’ve had.
the best, by far, was a lot of 3 10” LPs, two of which were valuable jazz records and one was a bizarre collectible to car enthusiasts for some reason, which i sold. the whole thing cost 11.50. Nice.
I love hearing the stories of great finds. I love the thrill of victory but would also enjoy some agony of defeat stories as well. Anyone game?
i have a great agony of defeat story-about 3 years ago a lady in california listed an og copy of tender feelins by duke pearson for $40 on ebay. i bought it before i even read the listing. iirc the listing was pretty vague but the pictures of the labels and cover both looked nice, so i took a chance. i knew this seller probably didn’t know much about records including packaging so i sent her an email instructing her to please pack carefully and remove the record from the cover etc…fast forward a week and the box is in my lobby. i open usps priority mail box (she didn’t use a standard LP mailer) and the cover looks like it was printed last week, i pull the vinyl halfway out of the inner sleeve and it’s flawless with those wispy fair weather kind of brush circles on both sides. i pull the wax out entirely to get a better look and…..there’s a crack running from the lip to about a half a millimeter from the deadwax. the post office destroyed it. my biggest would be score ever. and it might not have happened if i had kept my big mouth shut about packaging correctly…i brought it up to my apartment and tried to will it back into unbroken shape. no luck….