Anybody here ever Make a "in case of emergency" record side collection?

GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
edited October 2014 in Strut Central
You know like a bunch of records you buy just to hold on to in case you need to make rent or buy an artery?

I got one but I've held it so long I'm flipping half of it to my "I'm obsessed and maybe I need a vacation" fund

am I alone in this or are some of you this type of crazy too?

  Comments


  • mrmatthewmrmatthew 1,575 Posts
    I've got a few of those.

    One thing i have stated doing is sticking little green stickers on anything in my various collections (records, books, etc) that is at least worth X amount of $ (i use $30 and up, don't ask me why).
    That way if something ever happens, family wont be left with the ridiculous task of trying to figure out what is worth what and they can purge the $5-$10 chud without fearing they are giving away the good stuff.

  • Seems like a savings account might be a wiser investment given the fickle nature of record selling, plus all the work it takes. Side note: I'm generally lazy in that department. Side side: anybody want to come over and buy a bunch of records? I've got a lot.

  • white_teawhite_tea 3,262 Posts
    Controller_7 said:
    Seems like a savings account might be a wiser investment given the fickle nature of record selling, plus all the work it takes. Side note: I'm generally lazy in that department. Side side: anybody want to come over and buy a bunch of records? I've got a lot.

    I have a savings account, and risking the math wizards backing into what I've got in there, my interest year-to-date is like 39 cents! Anything, and I do mean anything, has to offer a better return than that.

  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    Yes, about every 3 weeks. Always been hard for me to keep any records worth $30+ that I don't regularly use for deejaying parties.

  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    white_tea said:
    Controller_7 said:
    Seems like a savings account might be a wiser investment given the fickle nature of record selling, plus all the work it takes. Side note: I'm generally lazy in that department. Side side: anybody want to come over and buy a bunch of records? I've got a lot.

    I have a savings account, and risking the math wizards backing into what I've got in there, my interest year-to-date is like 39 cents! Anything, and I do mean anything, has to offer a better return than that.

    no kidding,

    I got a retirement account I throw 5 g's in every year, over the last 4 years I've made something like $13 in interest. dollar buys that I can flip for $20 make Wells fargo look like bitches

  • ppadilhappadilha 2,236 Posts
    the most I do is hoard nice records I find that I already have, then eventually sell them all in one go to a store or something. If I was in dire need of an artery or a new kidney, selling off a stash of records would seem like a lot of work to go through in order to get the money.

  • white_tea said:
    Controller_7 said:
    Seems like a savings account might be a wiser investment given the fickle nature of record selling, plus all the work it takes. Side note: I'm generally lazy in that department. Side side: anybody want to come over and buy a bunch of records? I've got a lot.

    I have a savings account, and risking the math wizards backing into what I've got in there, my interest year-to-date is like 39 cents! Anything, and I do mean anything, has to offer a better return than that.

    what are the futures on next year's frozen orange juice looking like, M***?

  • white_teawhite_tea 3,262 Posts
    vintageinfants said:
    white_tea said:
    Controller_7 said:
    Seems like a savings account might be a wiser investment given the fickle nature of record selling, plus all the work it takes. Side note: I'm generally lazy in that department. Side side: anybody want to come over and buy a bunch of records? I've got a lot.

    I have a savings account, and risking the math wizards backing into what I've got in there, my interest year-to-date is like 39 cents! Anything, and I do mean anything, has to offer a better return than that.

    what are the futures on next year's frozen orange juice looking like, M***?

    The curve is totally flat, so good for hedging any mixed-drink needs but not so much for Billy Ray and Nem.

  • #beefjerkytime.


    and yes, i have a couple "this one's worth a gas bill" records on ice, if ever the earth's economy crashes and unopened velvet underground records become it's currency.

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I need rent and arteries every month.

  • DuderonomyDuderonomy Haut de la Garenne 7,784 Posts
    ppadilha said:
    If I was in dire need of an artery or a new kidney, I wouldn't live in muggerfuggin America, I'd get it done for free on the NHS

    fixed






    b/w


    Hard drive has rendered my in-storage records either a gift for a friend who will love them or money for when things get tight on the open road.

  • skelskel You can't cheat karma 5,033 Posts
    I got a few hundred comps in a storage unit just asking for some dude with van and 200 quid to remove.
    Can't be arsed to advertise.

    About 20 libraries I keep meaning to body on here, boy Parallax springs to mind.
    Ditto some ost blaxp of the Tongue and Hard Hands variety.

    And perhaps 40 quality bitd punk albums. And a near full run of Lizzy og LP and 12s
    Hit me!

  • skel said:
    I got a few hundred comps in a storage unit just asking for some dude with van and 200 quid to remove.
    Can't be arsed to advertise.

    About 20 libraries I keep meaning to body on here, boy Parallax springs to mind.
    Ditto some ost blaxp of the Tongue and Hard Hands variety.

    And perhaps 40 quality bitd punk albums. And a near full run of Lizzy og LP and 12s
    Hit me!

    those punk and blaxplo rekkids sound like they want to clog my arteries for a little while. ive got a big truck, but no oars. i could easily get as close as scotland on a plane tho

  • Savings doesn't return much, but it stays what it is. There's no guarantee a record will be worth what you want when that emergency arises. And can you quick flip for wanted value if it's a real emergency?

    I guess you're talking about grip and flips, like buy low sell high. I'm just saying if your profit margin isn't huge (like a $10 that will sell for $200), I'd rather just have the money knowing that it required no effort.

    But then again, I'm lazy and also have a ton of records I bought while working at Amoeba for this very purpose (to flip later) and they are not worth close to what they were at the time. Rap records related. Why must I cry?

  • Got boxes of these.

    Peace, stein...

  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    Not exactly, but it has occurred to me that if I sold the top 90% of my collection I could probably pay off my condo. I would still have a bunch of good music and I wouldn't have to worry about having a place to live in my dotage.

  • volumenvolumen 2,532 Posts
    mrmatthew said:
    I've got a few of those.

    One thing i have stated doing is sticking little green stickers on anything in my various collections (records, books, etc) that is at least worth X amount of $ (i use $30 and up, don't ask me why).
    That way if something ever happens, family wont be left with the ridiculous task of trying to figure out what is worth what and they can purge the $5-$10 chud without fearing they are giving away the good stuff.

    Pretty sure most people's family will give them away or put them in a garage sale no matter how many times you've told them they are worth something.

  • dj_cityboydj_cityboy 1,460 Posts
    everyone on here flipping records?

    am I the only odd ball that has never sold anything? I grip and never flip...lol

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    The Big One (earthquake) is coming to Oregon (someday).
    A few years ago I decided it was time to put together an emergency kit.
    After research I had a list, looking at cost I decided to do it a little at a time.
    After studying the list a little longer I realized it was never going to happen.
    About half the things on the list were things I was perpetually out of, batteries, band aids, rice and of course, cash.
    One day shortly after that I needed an ace bandage. I knew I had some in the cabinet, but they were so old they were brittle and flaked and crumbled. Which got me to thinking about how I would have to replace perishable items in my emergency kit every 6 months or a year. I'm going to be one of those miserable people at the shelter, sleeping on the floor with my dog and cat. When the earthquake comes, I hope all you all will send us lots of emergency pet food.

  • parallaxparallax no-style-having mf'er 1,266 Posts
    skel said:
    I got about 20 libraries I keep meaning to body on here, boy Parallax springs to mind.

    I was on a library binge when I reached out. It's been straight soul/jazz/funk 45s purchases for the last X months.

    Not saying I'm no longer interested, but the crave has died down some and I've knocked a bunch of wants off in that time. But still...

    SELL TO ME YUOR RACKIRDS SKLEL!

  • discos_almadiscos_alma discos_alma 2,164 Posts
    The stuff I hoard are obscure things that I know will serve as good trade fodder somewhere down the line. That stuff is better than money sometimes when trading with people.

  • CBearCBear 902 Posts
    I don't have a "take in case of emergency" stack.

    Anything going into my collection gets cleaned, sleeved and priced. I put tiny little price tags on the back of the plastic sleeve when I first get the record. It makes for easy trades or sales down the line. I sell at the local record show, and occasionally on discogs/ebay. My lazy flipping keeps my collection evolving instead of growing. If I ever tire of a record, it goes in the sale bin already priced. If I ever die, I told my wife to invite my friends over and to sell anything for 1/2 of what it's listed for, then run an ad and do the same. Whatever is left over can be lot sold. It's too much of an investment to waste.

    I keep about a thousand records, but have had at least 10,000 come and go. I like that my collection is manageable, current to my tastes, and tidy. I don't have the space to hoard.

    The only records I have that have devalued significantly are originals that eventually were reissued. That changed many $100-200 records into $40-50 records.

  • leonleon 883 Posts
    Horseleech said:
    Not exactly, but it has occurred to me that if I sold the top 90% of my collection I could probably pay off my condo. I would still have a bunch of good music and I wouldn't have to worry about having a place to live in my dotage.

    MY RECORDS ARE WORTH MORE THAN YOUR HOUSE

    B/w when flipping a lot you'll never get the individual high value. Selling then one by one takes up a crazy amount of time. Only way to tackle it a bit is by buying really expensive ones only. But i doubt that be a good investment.

  • discos_almadiscos_alma discos_alma 2,164 Posts
    Say you have a collection of 2400 LPs & 45s (most of you have much more than that). It would take you 2 straight months to list everything on eBay at ~300 per week, which is full time work.

  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    leon said:
    Horseleech said:
    Not exactly, but it has occurred to me that if I sold the top 90% of my collection I could probably pay off my condo. I would still have a bunch of good music and I wouldn't have to worry about having a place to live in my dotage.

    MY RECORDS ARE WORTH MORE THAN YOUR HOUSE

    B/w when flipping a lot you'll never get the individual high value.

    You might if you happen to own a couple of record stores... ;-)

    And hopefully they'd just be worth what I owe on my mortgage, or something close.

    The bulk of my 'money' records are Blue Note jazz type stuff, Brazilian, African, reggae, crusty rock, international psych etc. Most of those are doing pretty well. Fortunately I never bought rap/disco 12"s or doo wop.

    Not ready to pull the trigger just yet, but I'm mentally preparing myself for that possibility.
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