The 78 was developed by Emile Berliner, a German citizen who emigrated to the U.S. They are rare because few have survived unbroken. The 78s that today sell for high prices on the collector’s market are not rare because few were made, as is the case with many of the most valuable 45s of the same period. Even with the most stringent precautions, mailing a 78 means taking its life in your hands, while simply transporting one from one room to another can feel like juggling fine crystal. Unfortunately, it is also frighteningly brittle. This material is extremely durable and was ideal for the 78s’ primary purpose – being rotated at high speeds while a thick steel needle passed over them. They were manufactured from shellac, a compound derived from a natural resin secreted by the Lac beetle of southeast Asia. The reason is that 78s were not built to last. But ask any dealer what he would rather offer – a set of mint Elvis Sun singles on 45? Or a set on 78? There is no competition. The actual market for them might be smaller than for 45s the values in price guides sometimes seem a little lower. Today, rock ’n’ roll 78s are among the hottest commodities in the record-collecting world, with any survey of America (or the U.K.’s) most-valued records of the era literally bursting with high-ticket 78s. In Britain, the old format held its own in the marketplace until 1959.ħ8 RPM records are more fragile than their vinyl counterparts. In the U.S., 45s didn’t overtake the 78 in terms of units sold until 1957. However, Beatles fans – and lots of other rock aficionados – should keep an eye on the 78s shelf, because there are a lot of treats awaiting discovery.īetween whichever date you choose to mark the dawn of rock ’n’ roll and the very end of the 1950s, the 78 was the dominant force in the music industry. The Beatles’ song was a Lennon-McCartney original, while yours was written by Gordon Jenkins and Johnny Mercer around 30 years earlier. The Beatles did issue recordings in the 78 RPM format.įar more than vinyl, 78s go up and down in the general collectors’ estimation, with the only fields that remain consistently vibrant being rare early blues and the early days of rock ’n’ roll, which some people might erroneously believe your single represents – after all, didn’t The Beatles record “P.S.
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