[78-L] Price guyed

[Steven]

From: Taylor Bowie
> My personal opinion of most price guides to most things is that they are
pretty much useless,  esp. when there is no real established and consistent
market for whatever the stuff is.  Auction records of rare books,  over
time,  can establish some kind of pattern for some material...not so with
records.  where a  Leo Reisman 24000 Victor on eBay can sell one day for $20
and a few weeks later for over $300.
>
"price guides" seem to be artificial...intended to make the public "aware"
of the possible "huge"(?!) profits to be made in dealing in "collectibles"
(anybody recall "Beanie Babies"...?!)...?! The "value" (and the price) of
a given 78 depends on two factors: how much a collector wants to
sell it...as opposed to how much a collector wants to pay for it...?!

The vast majority of my c.60K 78's cost me less (often MUCH less!) than
a dollar per each; the most I have paid for a 78 in this "Internet era" has
been $5! Here in the 21st century, the pattern goes like: (1) declare an
artifact the next "hot collectible"...then put together an "official" price
guide therefor (values, of course, highly dependent on the stuff the
author wants to get rid of...?!).

Collectors of coins and stamps, having been around for MANY decades,
enjoy access to more "official" price guides!

Steven C. Barr