.

Info/FAQ
 
Albums
CDs
 
Puzzles
Traders
Newsletter
Links
e-mail

Bootleg LP Album Price Guide 

What is it worth?
As with the grading of sound quality, establishing the value of an item where there are little or no precedent sales is a very subjective thing.  The prices that are quoted on this site are what one could possibly expect to pay for the piece on today's market were it ever to be made available.  Keep in mind that this is only a guide and not a Bible.  If you have recently purchased one of these items and paid much more for it don't feel cheated! Remember, most of these pieces are not available anywhere at any price.  Be thankful that you now own a piece of history that you may never again have had the opportunity to own. Likewise, if you sold one of these pieces for less, you didn't get ripped off.  The prices here are only to give some relation.  As in any market, a piece is worth what you can get for it.  If the price listed is $30 and you just sold it for $300, be happy.  If you just sold it for $5 ... be happy.  Either way, you got what you were asking

Pricing
If you are using this site to price an item that you own to sell, keep in mind that all quoted prices are for an album that is in near Mint condition.  The NMP in front of the number stands for near mint price.  Please be fair and honest when you are rating your piece! If you are not sure how to grade, consult your local independent record dealer and/or use our grading scale.  The number that follows NMP is today's fair market value of this piece in U.S. dollars.  Example:  NMP30 means that this piece should have an approximate value of $30 U.S. if it is in  near mint condition.  The price can dramatically decrease for albums in lesser condition. Likewise, an album that is truly mint condition (perfect in all details.  Never been on a turntable) could be worth much more. 

Sealed copies
While the value of a collectible album can increase sometimes as much as 50% because it is sealed, that is not true with a bootleg.  The reason being that save for a few quasi-legitimate European pieces, bootlegs did not come sealed from the manufacturer.  Sometimes the bootlegs were sealed by the retailer to both protect the album and to demonstrate to the public that it was indeed a new album.  If you bought a bootleg sealed from a store or a dealer and have left it that way all these years thinking that it will increase in value because of the seal, sorry! 

A final note
Finally, keep in mind that all price guides (this one included) are primarily the work of one individual.  While I have been closely involved in the industry for many years, I am not infallible.  No one is.  Sure, you will find things that you don't agree with.  I have tried to be fair across the board.  I will make one more statement and then leave it to the reader to decide as to how best to use the price guide.  I would never sell a private collection piece of my own.  But if I ever decided to ... I probably wouldn't sell it as low as some of the prices in this guide. Conversely, if I found a piece that I didn't have, I would most likely not pay as high a price as is in this guide. That's why it's called a 'Guide' and not a 'Bible'.   : )

 Return to Top
 
 

 

© 1998 Craig Pinkerton - Site by eve, Incorporated