What are the out to out diminishes of a 45 rpm record sleeve?!
Question: Hi Penny !
"Out to out" should be 7 inchishes (!), but seems like that's up to down or down to up, because left to right "extrimishes" on the Decca cover I measured was nearer 7+1/4 inchishes ....
"In to in" diminishing diminishes seemes to be 3 + 1/4 inchishes (that's the hole in the middle) .....
Desperately looking for my vernier calipershes so I can get these measurements absolutely rightshes !
Laura .... ;-)
Answers: Hi Penny !
"Out to out" should be 7 inchishes (!), but seems like that's up to down or down to up, because left to right "extrimishes" on the Decca cover I measured was nearer 7+1/4 inchishes ....
"In to in" diminishing diminishes seemes to be 3 + 1/4 inchishes (that's the hole in the middle) .....
Desperately looking for my vernier calipershes so I can get these measurements absolutely rightshes !
Laura .... ;-)
When 45s were originally purchased they usually had manufacturer's paper sleeves. 45s with these original manufacturer's sleeves have a slightly higher value. If you don't have any sleeves on your 45s shame on you. This is critical for resale and it is one of the first questions a dealer will ask.
Many 45s were issued with "picture sleeves." A 45 RPM picture sleeve is almost always worth more than the record! If you have 45s with original picture sleeves the records (with the sleeves) are usually worth three or more times the normal value of the 45 (in excellent condition) by itself. Almost all rock and roll and rhythm and blues 45s with picture sleeves from the 1950s (even the most popular records and artists) have values that exceed $10.00 per record. Some have values over $100!
EPs (45s with 4, 5 or 6 songs) were popular items in the 1950s and early 1960s. They were almost always sold with hard cardboard sleeves similar to LPs. If you have EPs and they are missing the original jacket, then the price will be greatly diminished. If you have rock and roll and rhythm and blues EPs (with original cardboard picture sleeves) from the 1950s and early 1960s in excellent condition you really do have a goldmine. Some of these
items have values that exceed $1000 per record!
LPs have always been sold with hard cardboard covers. If your LPs don't have covers, don't expect any value.
Lastly CDs are sold with inserts. Don't lose them!
Condition is paramount
Most records were played and enjoyed. Records were taken to parties, passed
around and handled a lot. Sleeves were often lost for 45s and conditions deteriorated. If you have popular artist (Beatles, Beach Boys, Ames Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, etc) records (45s or LPs) from the 1950s through 1980s and they are in noticeably used condition (scratches, marks, heavy writing on label, grey colour plastic, etc.) they have very little value
Want a really good example of the above? Almost all the Beatle 45s were issued with picture sleeves. Virtually millions were produced in 1964 and 1965. If you have (even the most common) Capitol 45s with Beatle picture sleeves (in brand new condition-- both record and picture sleeve) the value will be more than $100 per record! Less common 45s (Swan / VJ / etc) even without picture sleeves (but in pristine condition) often command $200 or more! However, if you have the same 45s in poor condition without sleeves, they
only have a value of about $1!
LPs can be in noticeably used condition on both the record and the cover. The more writing on the cover of an LP - the less the value. Obviously if the cover is damaged or noticeably used, the value will be poor
Dealers that carry them often sell (at record shows) used 45s described above for $1.00 or less each. LPs are often sold for $2.00 to $4.00. See below for what dealers pay for such used records
The best value on obviously used records described above is not what money they will fetch but the enjoyment you can still get from them - continuing to play them, enjoying the music and remembering the moments
Scarcity determines value
During the height of the record era from the early 1960s through the 1970s record companies in the USA produced and released more than 10,000 differerent records every year! Of these, only about 200 single records and another 200 LPs were charted in the top 30 and were played regularly on popular radio
Generally speaking the records that people bought most (the 400 mentioned previously) have the least value. And the other 9,600 records have more value.
In the 1950s and in the early 1960s (before the Beatles) teens purchased records they heard on the radio in 45 RPM format - they wanted the song - not necessarily the artist. However every record company issued LPs by their most popular teen artists (e.g. Crystals, Frankie Ford, Bill Haley, Isley Brothers, etc) in the 1950s and 1960s even if they didn't sell well at the time. Because these LPs are relatively rare (Often less than 10,000 copies sold), they now command big prices. Even the most popular teen / rock and roll LPs from 1954 to 1963 often sell for $50 or more now when in excellent condition (record and cover) and if they are in stereo you can quadruple the price.
Even rarer are Rhythm & Blues LPs from the 1950s. The (often small) record
companies that issued these LPs had relatively poor distribution, and the main buyers of R & B records didn't have much money in the 1950s. Many were issued with only 1000 copies pressed. Many such LPs now sell at prices exceeding $1000 per copy when in excellent condition.
7-3/8" Wide x 7-3/8" High
Dawn