Wrapped or unwrapped, vinyl question.

PearlJamFanLV

I have collected pretty much each album on vinyl, including the 7" 10c singles every year since about 1998.  I have always kept 1 of the singles (me and wife have membership) wrapped, and each and every album is still sealed.  I have to itch to break them out and start listening to them.  But how will that affect collectibility (sic)?  I would like to maybe pass these down to my 3 boys or even sell as a set at one point.  What to do?

NewJPage

Sealed could warp the vinyl, but if you don't plan to ever play it sealed is more valuable 

tdawe

PearlJamFanLV said:

I have collected pretty much each album on vinyl, including the 7" 10c singles every year since about 1998.  I have always kept 1 of the singles (me and wife have membership) wrapped, and each and every album is still sealed.  I have to itch to break them out and start listening to them.  But how will that affect collectibility (sic)?  I would like to maybe pass these down to my 3 boys or even sell as a set at one point.  What to do?

Don’t you want your boys to listen to them?

PearlJamFanLV

tdawe said:

PearlJamFanLV said:

I have collected pretty much each album on vinyl, including the 7" 10c singles every year since about 1998.  I have always kept 1 of the singles (me and wife have membership) wrapped, and each and every album is still sealed.  I have to itch to break them out and start listening to them.  But how will that affect collectibility (sic)?  I would like to maybe pass these down to my 3 boys or even sell as a set at one point.  What to do?

Don’t you want your boys to listen to them?

Yes I do, all my boys grew up on PJ, heck one play's them on his guitar all the time with no input from me.  And we all know there is something mystical about the little black circle, how do they make all the noise with a little needle and plastic, lol.  I'm just worried it will be a one time thing them, "Yeah Dad, that's cool and all" and back to there headsets.

brianjones

I play all my records including Benny Hall without any restraint. I even slot some  of those 45's in my jukebox from time to time. 
 I take great care of them and will also pass 'em on like my dad passed his Beatles & Ccr records (who still play great BTW, even though back then most people didn't take great care of their collection).
It's your call. But I don't think you'd regret opening them the second you'd drop that needle!  Whenever I play the La forum vault, it brings me back to that 98 your the way nothing else can. Not even the boots of the show's I've seen. 

My two cents

hrd2imgn

if you want to resell it keep it sealed, put a small slit in the plastic somewhere to allow expansion/contraction without pressure. 

If you are not going to resell it-

Oh see my hand
Drop, drop, dropping it down
oh so gently
here it comes
touch the flame
Turn me up
won't turn you away

Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
spin the black, spin the black
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
whoa

Pull it out
a paper sleeve
Oh my joy
only you deserve conceit
Oh I'm so big
and my whole world
I'd rather you
rather you, than her

Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
spin the black, spin the black
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
whoa

Oh you're so warm
oh, the ritual
as I lay down your crooked arm

Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
spin the black, spin the black
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin

Spin the black

circle

Spin the black circle
Spin the black circle

RoleModelsinBlood31

hrd2imgn said:

if you want to resell it keep it sealed, put a small slit in the plastic somewhere to allow expansion/contraction without pressure. 

If you are not going to resell it-

Oh see my hand
Drop, drop, dropping it down
oh so gently
here it comes
touch the flame
Turn me up
won't turn you away

Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
spin the black, spin the black
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
whoa

Pull it out
a paper sleeve
Oh my joy
only you deserve conceit
Oh I'm so big
and my whole world
I'd rather you
rather you, than her

Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
spin the black, spin the black
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
whoa

Oh you're so warm
oh, the ritual
as I lay down your crooked arm

Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin
spin the black, spin the black
Spin, spin
spin the black circle
Spin, spin

Spin the black

circle

Spin the black circle
Spin the black circle

goldrush

I’m the exact opposite of the people that collect vinyl and keep it sealed. All of my vinyl is open, even the records that have never been played. I like reading through the liner notes, checking out the colours of the special editions etc. I know it will be played eventually, and it’s not an investment to be resold, so there’s no reason for me to keep them sealed.

PB11041

Play that shit.

tdawe

Another thing to bear in mind is that we’re in the midst of a vinyl boom, so prices are high. Broadly speaking you probably shouldn’t be looking at your records as an investment that will appreciate - if that what you want there are much better ways to get it. If you insist on looking at it that way, the items most likely to retain their value are the ones that are truly limited, and by that I don’t mean color variants but recordings that were distributed in a limited fashion one time and they probably won’t be making any more of. So in Pearl Jam terms, your Vaults (or Bennies if you’re lucky enough to have one). OPs and color variants will lose their value when the broader market ebbs a la comic books in the late 90s. Repressed and any non-limited items being pressed now don’t really have much value to begin with. 

mookieblalock

If you are considering keeping these as an investment in your children’s future, I recommend selling all the sealed vinyl, taking that money and investing it. Your return will be much, much greater. Vinyl is not a commodity market. You need to decide if you want to give your children money in the future or the joy of playing vinyl. You won’t be able to have both, because to play it, they will have to unseal it. And if they are going to unseal it, might as well do it now.

F Me In The Brain

mookieblalock said:

If you are considering keeping these as an investment in your children’s future, I recommend selling all the sealed vinyl, taking that money and investing it. Your return will be much, much greater. Vinyl is not a commodity market. You need to decide if you want to give your children money in the future or the joy of playing vinyl. You won’t be able to have both, because to play it, they will have to unseal it. And if they are going to unseal it, might as well do it now.

Nailed it. 

BennyLaRue

mookieblalock said:

If you are considering keeping these as an investment in your children’s future, I recommend selling all the sealed vinyl, taking that money and investing it. Your return will be much, much greater. Vinyl is not a commodity market. You need to decide if you want to give your children money in the future or the joy of playing vinyl. You won’t be able to have both, because to play it, they will have to unseal it. And if they are going to unseal it, might as well do it now.

100%. Enjoy your things. They're never worth what you think they'll be worth. This will be especially true once Gen-X dies out.

cp3iverson

Open the albums.  They arent worth much.  A sealed Christmas single from the 90s is pretty cool tho. 

densan

Life is short and does not go as planned. Who needs regrets, and unfortunately too much crap happens unexpectedly. You can replace the stuff on the shelf that sits, but if you spin the vinyl you will always have the memories of unwrapping, the smell of the vinyl, and gently laying the needle down. Here is the best part, don't deny the kids of having that memory with you. Btw, crank it. 

OceansMagnet

Why would you buy something with a practical purpose and just let it sit on a shelf? You aren’t promised a tomorrow and neither are your children. These aren’t the Crown Jewels. You’re not going to pay your grandkids college tuition with a PJ vinyl collection. I suspect that the novelty of the vinyl resurgence will wain and with all the studio albums having been  repressed.. I’m just saying that vinyl is likely not a practical long term investment.  The memories you make spinning these records will be worth far more than these sealed pieces of plastic and paper on your shelf will ever be.  

FiveBelow

densan said:

Life is short and does not go as planned. Who needs regrets, and unfortunately too much crap happens unexpectedly. You can replace the stuff on the shelf that sits, but if you spin the vinyl you will always have the memories of unwrapping, the smell of the vinyl, and gently laying the needle down. Here is the best part, don't deny the kids of having that memory with you. Btw, crank it. 

Well said.