Records & music
Vintage 78 RPM shellac records, lot of 20, 1940s
Boxes of 78s turn up constantly, and most are common dance band and vocal sides worth very little one at a time. A lot sells on quantity and on whether the discs are uncracked and the labels readable for someone who actually plays them.
Estimated resale range (used)
$15 – $50
A ballpark, not a quote. Condition moves this number a lot, and so does who turns up to buy it. It isn't an appraisal and it isn't a dealer's offer.
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What matters when you check it
- Check for cracks and edge chips, because shellac breaks rather than scratches and a cracked disc is nearly worthless
- Sort by label and artist first, since a handful of blues, country and early jazz names are worth far more than the rest
- Note warping and label damage, and keep them out of damp basements where shellac and paper labels both suffer
Where the number comes from
Watching what these go for, not a record of sales. The range is a judgement call from what the same thing fetches secondhand. When an item has real sources behind it, they'll be printed here with the date they were checked.
Before you sell anything, look at sold prices rather than asking prices. Asking prices are wishes; sold prices are evidence.