I've bought records since I was a kid. They were the first thing I spent my own money on. I've never been a collector, but if you do anything long enough, and dedicated enough, you inevitably end up with things worth money. I once got into a heated argument with a retired record shop owner about value. This record is worth X. That record is worth Y. They told me I was wrong. Something is only worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it, AND until you have money in hand, it isn't worth a penny. Common sense, but I was thinking from a different perspective. You get want lists/sale lists, and there's the price. I thought it was a definitive thing. I think a lot of people think like that. Until someone agrees with the value you placed on it, and then pays you for it at that value, it's entirely an arbitrary abstraction, even if you think you have all this precedent behind your price. It's all a dream until someone makes it reality. This person was right. I was wrong. It's one of those lessons that is common sense, but simultaneously a little counter-intuitive. Collecting things is a weird thing...and I've been doing it my entire life. Still makes little sense to me.
