Despite the prevalence of digital and streaming media, 78 vinyl records still draw passion and attention from music lovers. These classic and new collections of favourite tunes are easily available as used vinyl records listed on eBay, and you can begin or add to your collection in record time.

Are 78 records valuable? Tefteller said in a phone interview. He said that on average a rare jazz 78 might sell for $1,500 to $5,000, whereas sales for a comparable blues record would start at $5,000.

If you have old 78s you’d like to donate, the Great 78 Project will accept your old 78 records and digitize them to post online. But reading their FAQs, it does not appear they will ship those old records back to you.

Is there a market for 78 records? There’s a thriving market for classical recordings on 78 – in fact some of the most expensive recent sales of 78s on eBay are of very early (pre-1910) classical works on obscure labels.

They should be collected for love and enjoyment, not for value. Playing 78 RPM records will require you to get new equipment, most probably a new stylus but quite possibly a new tonearm or even turntable if yours isn’t capable of providing the tracking force or speed required for playing 78 RPM records.

Ortofon, who make all of the pre-fitted styli for Pro-Ject, also make corresponding 78 stylus tips. If your turntable has a 2M Red pre-fitted, then the front of it can be swapped for the 2M78 stylus . Or if your turntable has an OM series cartridge, the OM78 stylus is available.

To wash a dirty record, you should use soap water. Also, use a dish-washing detergent. Rise it before drying. However, you should avoid using alcohol-based cleaners since they can damage your records. How long does a 78 rpm record play? The standard 78 rpm record can play for about three minutes.