The value of of the sealed record.


Like many collectors, I own and collect a number of sealed LP's. However, after my latest acquisition, I got to thinking that perhaps owning a sealed LP isn't that great an idea. Why do we buy sealed LP's?? Well, I guess most of us like the idea that nobody has played the piece before. Unfortunately, I suspect that like many other collectors and music lovers, we leave the piece in question- still sealed. For what reason??? Is it that we are expecting the next collector to value it more highly, therefore using it as an investment vehicle. I think this is a factor is many instances. Problem is, at what point does the sealed LP actually get opened? Do we open it and enjoy the music, do we open it and find the vinyl inside is actually damaged? Do we open it only on special occasions? Are we actually fooling ourselves thinking the sealed LP is in Mint condition?  What is the value of the sealed record to you?

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I've known quite a few people who had multiple copies of favorite albums, one opened for playing and one (or more) left sealed for down the road. When I started hitting all the small mom 'n' pop drug stores in the late 60's looking for monaural versions of Kinks and Beach Boys albums, I had lots of sealed LP's. Over the years I have traded or sold all my duplicates, space being at a premium now.
Several years ago, I visited the Mobile Fidelity retail store in Sebastopol, CA (now long gone) and bought several albums right out of the display bins for $13.99 each. I kept them sealed for about twenty five years, and recently sold them to a record store owner for $50 each. So, I guess they were a relatively good investment after all.
Thats a return of about 5% per annum. If you include the cost of purchase and disposal ( time, postage, petrol etc ) you almost certainly lost money.

I must admit to have done that .
20 years on, I realized : The best is to celebrate unsealing these records as Christmas comes, or on a birthday.
or eventually, at the replacement of a Cartridge.

The member "wspohn"... has nailed it .
" Music lovers Open & Listen & Enjoy" .
I have a sealed copy of the original run of Lincoln Mayorga and Amanda McBroom - Growing Up In Hollywood Town, which I tried to sell once.

I mentioned in the promo text that I felt I was ’helping keep the world safe, for over 35 years’, by never opening it.

The potential buyers did not agree with my sense of humour, apparently.