Downsizing? Determined to get rid of stuff you no longer need? Cleaning out a home or an estate? Stop! Know Before You Throw.
Ah, the Summer of Love. As in 1967, that is. The year marks the 50th anniversary of that pivotal year in American popular culture and Rock and Roll history. Additionally, there certainly were many tangible items produced at the time, which serve as conduits to this bygone era.
As with many fields of collecting, one of the most important elements of appeal is the ability of the genre to invoke feelings of nostalgia. Another important element is the relevant age group and their ability to invest money to relive that time in their lives and recapture some of those feelings. The 1960s Rock Era checks all those boxes.
That year marked the peak of hippie culture and saw the release of some of the most important rock music of all time. Groundbreaking albums by The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, and, of course, The Beatles, with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
While most of us got rid of our vinyl years ago, those albums that survived can sometimes be worth a bit of cash. Condition and rarity are primary factors in value. With record albums, one must consider the condition of both the record jacket and the vinyl. Average condition Sgt. Pepper’s albums can sell in the range of $10 to $30, while more obscure pressings or mint copies have been spotted on eBay recently in the $700 to $925 range.
Some of the albums from more obscure and eclectic 60s bands can be worth money due to limited production and cult status. And then there are those rare albums from more mainstream artists like Bob Dylan, which can be worth thousands. For example, the Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan album, released in May of 1963, had four songs swapped out at the last minute for reasons yet to be discovered. As a collector’s luck would have it, there were a few albums released in their original format that included those four songs. Those few copies now bring big money. A stereo copy sold for $35,000, and a mono copy sold for $15,000.
The 1960s Rock Era created such a broad field of collecting that I’ll be following up with some discussion on other areas of Rock and Roll collecting in the coming months. So, please stay tuned.
Jon Englund has more than 25 years of experience in appraising and liquidating personal property, jewelry, art, collectibles, antiques, furniture, printed items and more. A Midwest transplant, Jon trained at New York University in appraisal studies.
For more information, call (480) 699-1567. You also can send an email to Jon@KnowBeforeYouThrow.INFO.