This copy of Top of the Pops volume 87 is certainly among the hardest to locate - some say it is the rarest, which on the evidence here, might well be the case. As you will see, the cover is far from pristine, with marks on the laminate, and what the seller describes as "some handling wear". The record is graded Excellent though, which is undoubtedly a contributiung factor to its successful sale.
Anyway, the lucky winner gets to fill this difficult space in his or her collection, while the seller pockets a cool £155.15 for his trouble. Now - anyone know where I can find a spare copy?!...
I am so glad I began collecting my TOTP/Cover albums in the mid 80's. This was one of the 1st TOTP albums I bought in the spring of 1985. I only paid 50p for mine.......
ReplyDelete:-D
Those were the days! I bought volume 90 for 50p too. It turned out to be a good investment, not that I am intending to part with it.
DeleteAlas, I have noticed many charity shops simply don't stock vinyl anymore, and that's where I used to do most of my digging. Occasionally you find one with stacks of LPs on the floor, but I do wonder how many TOTP end up being thrown out, by owners simply not realising that these are seriously collectable these days.
been after volume 87 for ages,But i dont think i'd even pay a Tenner for it,so whoever has forked out £155 has more money than sense(good news for the seller though :-) )
ReplyDeleteThe buyer's actually been in touch since I put this post up. He's been collecting for a while now and is agonisingly close to completing the set. I think we have a claim to the title of rarest TOTP album - volume 87 seems like gold dust.
DeleteRemember, when sales like this happen, there are always multiple bidders. There must be a few people out there crying out for a copy of this one. I know if I see it in future, I will snap it up, if only to help out fellow collectors.
For me, the really tough one was volume 91, but I eventually located a copy. I paid a decent sum for it too.
I have Volume 91. Its in extremely good condition too!!
DeleteInterestingly, I managed to get a copy of Volume 91 (albeit with a rather deep scratch to one side) early on in my collecting days also for a mere 50p. In fact, I got it the same day as I got volume 87 so I was lucky.
ReplyDeleteTalking of luck, I managed to get a copy of the 1st Chevron vinyl Parade Of Pops from 1979 for just 25 pence & in excellent condition (I wanted a replacement copy anyway as mine jumps on Heart Of glass). It also has the 'Sensational Introductory Price Only 75p' still on the front cover - that alone was reason enough to buy it. And I've only just noticed after all these years - that's Susy Shaw on the cover....... :-)
Hmm. She does look like Susy Shaw, but that haircut is a bit distracting. Can't say I'm sure (or should I say "shaw") about that one. Of course, Beverley Pilkington was on the following volume, so it's possible...
DeleteI bid on that auction but didn't win. Five days later I picked up #87 about five days later from eBay in a job lot of 22 that went for just under £50. It arrived about half an hour ago and I'm playing it as I type this.
ReplyDeleteNice one. I've sometimes picked up relative bargains that way too. I remember getting a red vinyl copy of "World Top 12" in a job lot of coloured vinyl records for about a tenner. I kept it and sold the rest back on Ebay, so I got it almost free. It's definitely worth checking out auction lots like that.
DeleteA quick addendum ... back at the end of 2011 an imperfect copy of TOTP #87 was auctioned (320801216120) with the label on one side off-centre and covering the run out groove. I bid a tenner and was somewhat surprised to see it eventually sell for £92.51
ReplyDeleteFurther proof that TOTP #87 may actually be the hardest to find?
It could well be the hardest, although check out Summerisle's post above. He picked up another copy almost straight away. Who can say for sure?
DeleteI think I remember seeing that one with the wonky label. It's strange but pressing errors are starting to attract real interest from record collectiors. There was a copy of a Strawbs LP on Ebay a couple of years ago with a Top of the Pops label stuck on by mistake. I think I was only prepared to bid about £2 or £3 but I wish I'd gone higher now. I'd quite like to have it in my collection.
I have a copy of vol 87 still in its original unopened shrinkwrap. I got it in 2013 from VIP fair in london from a dealer for £1. I purchased another 3 or 4 other volumes but not shrinkwrapped all at £1 each. Bargains are about and a lot of ' dealers ' are still not aware of the collectability of TOTPS albums. I am tempted to put it on ebay just to see what interest it may find. Regards, Chris.
ReplyDeletei have loads of these records
ReplyDeleteI have a complete set of excellent TOTP albums including all the europe editions and a couple of arabic printed ones from I have no idea where.... might consider selling for the right money
ReplyDeleteNever seen Arabic ones. I've seen plenty with Hebrew script though. Any chance of a photo of one?
DeleteMight be hebrew on them not arabic ....no idea all foreign to me will take a pic of those when i get chance.
DeleteI have all of them my mum started in 68 volume 1 I took over in 77 volume 60 because of sex pistols pretty vacant I love them all so 12 tops 16 chart hits any cover I still play them even though I'm a 58 year old punk
ReplyDeleteHI IV'E JUST FOUND A COPY OF TOP OF THE POPS VOL 5.
ReplyDeleteON SUNSHINE MADE IN JAPAN. AND CANT FIND THE ONE IM LOOKING FOR THERE IS ONE PIC ON DISC DOGS BUT SAYS ITS BAND FROM MARKET PLACE.
IS THIS ONE WORTH ANYTHING ?????