Does a rare MP3 file exist? A dollar, a little less or a little more, seems to be the going price for any track by any artist. I’ve never heard anyone say “I collect MP3 files”. Don’t like it? You can’t trade it in. Delete it and both the music and your money disappear!
I’m sure some of the CDs I’ve collected might be worth a little more than list price but most discs in my collection are probably worth only a couple of bucks in trade.
A few rare slabs of vinyl I own may fetch a little bit more to some fanatic, for example, who must have a copy of Tonio K’s Life In The Foodchain in clear green vinyl.
The most valuable item in my music collection? Turns out it’s a book. Dave Alvin’s 1995 out of print book of poetry Any Rough Times Are Now Behind You may be worth over $200. I’ve got an autographed copy including a self-portrait caricature sitting on my bookshelf!
You can’t even find a copy of Dave’s 1986 collection (first edition and also out of print) Nana, Big Joe and the Fourth of July (Illiterati Press) for sale! Imagine what that might be worth (if I wanted to sell mine)!
You know the punch line: buy more poetry.
Disclaimer: The testimonial presented applies only to the author, cannot be guaranteed, and should not be considered typical. Purchasing volumes of poetry by Ryan Adams and/or Jeff Tweedy may not result in similar returns on your investment.
This article was previously published in a slightly different form at HickoryWind.
