THE EFFECT OF REISSUES ON ORIGINAL ISSUED SOUNDTRACK LPS

Does a reissue of a soundtrack LP adversely affect the value of the original issue?  There are a number of factors which have to be considered in the answer to this question. For example, one of the rarest soundtracks back in the 1970s heyday of soundtrack collecting was Bernard Herrmann's score to the fantasy adventure film, 'The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad'. We sold a factory sealed copy of the original Colpix LP for over $350!  A few years later, there was a limited reissue on Cinema Records which didn't have the original cover artwork (it was a black and white montage of stills from the film), which helped to quell some of the desire for the original at the time. However, the number of copies pressed in the low thousands, and it soon resulted in the original selling for even higher prices in the late 1970s.  Enter the British and the Japanese who reissued it, again with a new cover (a very nice full color illustration capturing the likeness of stars Kerwin Matthews and Kathryn Grant),  again in print a limited time.  Subsequently, there was a very nice reissue by Varese Sarabande which reproduced the original cover artwork, and the for the first time, issued it in true stereo sound (it was never released in stereo in the original issue).  All versions of original and reissues have been out-of-print for over 20 years, which has made all of them collectible.  Today, a factory sealed copy of  '7th Voyage of Sinbad' would garner a price over $1,000. Why?  Because, like a first edition book, IT IS THE ORIGINAL AND THAT MAKES IT THE MOST VALUABLE!  The reissues sell for anywhere from $100 to $250 mint.  Ironically, even when many of these rare soundtracks are reissued on CDs, many times with added selections, there is an attraction for the original LP format that almost makes for an apple and orange comparison. The visual impact of a 12" LP with the original artwork which in many cases was just stunning is something you can't impact on a 5" CD!  Being a baby boomer, it's downright frustrating trying to read liner notes or credits on a CD which prints in such small type I need a magnifying glass to read them.  I must iterate, however, that some soundtrack CDs which were in limited pressings are also quite collectible and garner high prices--but that's a subject we'll have to address at some guide in the future.

Pictured above are some great examples of rare soundtrack LPs that sell at premium prices today:  1) Bernard Herrmann's 'Twisted Nerve' which is a British pressing and commands prices upward of $1,000 mint. It's based on Herrmann's reputation as one of the finest film composers ever.  The film is also a cult film thriller, adding to the LP's value. 2) Georges Garvarentz's score to 'Panic Button' on Musicor Records.  Although Garvarentz is a popular film composer, this soundtrack LP's value is overshadowed more by the presence of the sexy Jayne Mansfield on the front cover.  The LP didn't sell well, so there were a limited number of pressings made, resulting in a price today in excess of $1,000 mint.  We have to relate a similar recent experience we had while checking out a record shop here in town.  We found an LP (not a soundtrack) which had the cult sex siren, Bette Page, on the front cover. The LP was in pretty bad shape, but the owner was asking $150 for the record simply because it's such an iconic value collectible.  3) Jerry Goldsmith's 'Trouble With Angels' was released on a small Mainstream Record label. A much higher premium is paid for the stereo version (100% more than mono) and today goes for over $350 mint.  4) finally, there's John Barry's soundtrack LP for 'The Wrong Box' on the same Mainstream Records. Again, the stereo version goes for twice that of mono for the same reason, and about the same price level of $350 mint. 

The rarest soundtrack LP is Max Steiner's score for 'The Caine Mutiny' on RCA Records, and would probably sell for over $40,000 mint today. We sold a VG condition with some cover edge tear in 1989 for $10,000.  There were a couple of reissues, the first in the early 1980s with a black and white cover, which will garner $200 mint today; and a second reissue in the 1990s with the full color original cover which sold for $150 when it was released. Today, that version will probably go for $300 mint.  But neither reissue has adversely affected the original's value. 

Because we continue to sell these rare soundtrack LPs in our Ebay store at 'RTS Rarities' every day, it's pretty easy for us to evaluate how much a soundtrack LP is worth. Please check our store for many rare soundtrack LPs, along with Original Cast, Pop/Nostalgia, Rock titles.  Unfortunately, we take in thousands of rare LPs  each week which never get listed on Ebay, as collectors have already put in requests for their purchase.  So you can check out our Ebay store, and if you don't see what you're looking for there, please e-mail us at 'RTS RARITIES' with your 'Want lists'.  Please do not overload us with requests if you're not a 'Serious' purchaser.  There is, however, no obligation on your part to purchase if we can't come to a agreeable purchase price.