We're an eBay affiliate and may be compensated on purchases made through clicks. 

Views: 39353

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Same happened with my Backstreet boys from Amazon said issue with stock, don't think I'll get that either or Mahogany Taylor Swift cd unfortunately.

Still waiting for my signed mahogany cd to move from pending too. Grr.

My Blue Stone Signed CD's Arrived, This Is What One Of The Autographs Looks Like! 

Question for all the collectors out there, I know resellers will keep this sealed obviously, but as a collector, what are your plans for this item? This could go either way for the vinyls. As an autograph collector, I want to see the autographs. But as a vinyl collector, especially since these are all the same album, id rather keep them sealed. This is turning out to be a tough decision but im probably overthinking it. Just curious what everyone's plan is for these

If the vinyl itself was rare, it might make more sense to keep it sealed. In an instance like this, where the only thing differentiating it from the tens of thousands of other pressings is an insert, I don't know that keeping it sealed has quite the same benefit. Plus there's the aspect of confirming the insert actually is inside, plus the condition, signature quality, etc. Consider if you sell the thing years later and it turns out the insert is smeared, wrinkled or not there at all. Not that there's a high probability (especially with the last one), but it's not out of the question. Just thoughts to consider.

You make a good point, just wish these weren't sealed inside to begin with. I've never had to open a vinyl that I know will never be played. This is a 1st for me regardless if its rare or not. Part of me still feels its wrong to cut that seal knowing it will turn into a used vinyl instantly even if the vinyl is never touched. At that point, they are just taking up space and I may just give them away to family but keep the autographs. I know I'm overthinking it now for sure but figured ill ask for opinions before actually opening them

Hi Jason,

I am a longtime collector of rare records and CDs, not just signed items.  I know, and interact with, a lot of other collectors, too, so I think I have a good handle on their mentality.

Buying a sealed item on the secondary market, especially a vinyl LP, shortly after release date is generally considered a safe bet.  But the longer one leaves it sealed, the more of a curate’s egg it becomes.  Sealed, vintage vinyl can be both a blessing and a curse.  The seal doesn’t necessarily mean that the LP has been well stored.  If exposed to heat, or not stored upright, the record inside might be warped.  Equally, the record may be scratched or poorly pressed, with non-fill, e.g.  There may be issues with other elements: split inner sleeves, damaged booklets, etc.  And that’s without even considering the condition of any autographed element.

A collector may pay a premium for sealed, vintage vinyl, but it’s a calculated risk.  Just as many would prefer to see, and be able to inspect, exactly what they are getting for their money.  An open, but well kept, NM LP, with all the elements in clean condition, is just as appealing to an intelligent collector as a sealed copy.

Whenever possible, I always try to open a new LP carefully, with a craft knife, so that I can keep the shrink wrap in place.  If, for some reason, that isn’t possible, then I’ll trim carefully around any hype stickers and store them somewhere inside the item.  I never throw hype stickers away.

Personally, I’ve only ever kept a small number of ultra-rare LPs and CDs sealed.  None of these are signed, btw.  In each case, there was no possibility of a replacement from the retailer, so it was either keep the copy I received or spend hundreds of pounds on the secondary market.  There is no external damage to any of the sealed items I have.  I’ve owned them from new, and stored them well, so there’s no reason to suppose there’s any internal damage either.  Again, it’s a calculated risk on my part, but I’ve no intention of ever selling them.  And I have high quality rips of the music, so I can still enjoy the tunes without having to break the seal on my copies.

As you can tell, collectors think about this stuff a lot :-)

As far as the Swiz LPs are concerned, I see no huge advantage in keeping them sealed.  I’ve opened mine, and my recommendation to you is to do the same.  Either way, enjoy.

Great info as always! Ive only been a vinyl collector for the last 2 years. I still have a ton to learn. Usually I just buy regular albums that I love and will be played, but I have stumbled upon a handfull of limited releases that are still sealed. I have checked prices on ebay just out of curiosity and found that the sealed ones do sell for much higher than opened ones. Maybe because they are still fairly new? Or maybe because the people buying really don't know what they are doing? Who knows.. ive read some of the same info you've mentioned on other collector sites. There is a big concern with warpage and how the vinyl was stored. 

All of my vinyls, as soon as they are opened, go into sleeves backed with rice paper, im not home and can't think of the brand name.. I also cover the album cover in a dual pocket protector so I can keep the vinyl outside of the cover inside the 2nd pocket, and they are always stored upright. I have about 150 which is very small compared to a lot of collectors but I think its a huge amount and takes up a decent amount of space for storage. 

All this said, maybe it is lack of experience that is causing me to overthink. 2 years in the vinyl world is still probably like being a baby. I appreciate all the detailed information though and you are completely right. I will not hesitate to open these once I get home. 

Are these saying Tay? Looks like a Y on the end. 

If you’re looking at limited edition releases from the last few years, that’s one thing.  You should be fine, there, for the most part.

But, like I say, the older a sealed record gets, the more variables come into play in terms of unseen condition issues.  I’m talking about sealed records between 30 and 60 years old.  You’re buying a pig in a poke at that point.  Provenance and trust becomes very important when you’re considering buying a sealed LP from the 1960s or 1970s.

And don’t put it past some unscrupulous dealers to reseal used records then sell them as factory-sealed from new.  It happens.  In recent years, it’s even become a thing to fake the original hype stickers.  Caveat emptor.

Uk

Unfortunately my Blood moon vinyls been cancelled! So disappointed no full set of vinyl of CDs now.

RSS

Photos

  • Add Photos
  • View All

Videos

  • Add Videos
  • View All

© 2024   Created by Steve Cyrkin, Admin.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Privacy Policy  |  Terms of Service