Even if you're a seasoned record collector, you may not be aware of 16" transcription records.  Most used record stores don't stock them and you usually don't run into them at record stores.  However, they're more common than you think and, if you run an antique shop or frequent estate sales, you might run into them and decide to post them here on ebay.

Here's a rundown of what collectors of these discs need to know when you sell them and some ideas on what you might have.

Large format transcription records are easy to spot - they're 16" across, rather than 12" across like a normal LP.  They were typically issued in the 1930s through the 1950s.  At the time, a wide stylus was the only technology available for reproducing clear sound and a larger format disc was the only way that a longer program could be distributed on disc.  Most discs contain 15 minutes of material per side running at 33 1/3 rpm.  Later discs use a microgroove needle and run at 30 minutes per side.

Special turntables are needed to accommodate these larger discs.  (Esoteric's Rek-O-Kut and KAB's Transcriber 2 are two currently available turntables that can play them, but many older turntables used in radio stations up through the 1980s can.)

Some discs you find will be made of vinyl, like later lps, and might be pressed of red or blue colored material.  Early 16" discs are made of shellac, the same thing used for 78s, and can be very thick and heavy.  Some discs are "instantaneous recordings" that are unique, made of a coating over an aluminum or glass base - more information on them is below.

Since you probably don't have a way of playing a disc, it can be tough to assess condition, but note if the disc looks new and shiny, slightly scuffed, or has major scratches or warps and cracks that might affect play.  An original sleeve in good condition can also add value, so note the sleeve if it contains printing of some type.

If a package contains these discs, you can send them Media Mail in the US, and this can be an attractive option for some buyers.  Later vinyl discs are often quite thin and light and several can be packed into one box.  Of course, the discs should be carefully wrapped and packed to protect them during shipping, particularly if they're the earlier heavy shellac discs or instantaneous discs with a glass base.

The most common types of discs found are:

Syndicated radio shows - These will contain a radio show broadcast by local stations either as a public service for a government or religious organization or for an advertiser or agency that bought time on the station for the program.  Depending on the content, these can be desirable by collectors.  Some collectors are looking to get all the programs in a series or might just be looking for particular episodes of programs to fill out a collection or to obtain something by a particular artist.

Usually, these will contain a generic label with the name of the distributor or advertising agency.  Examples include Transco, World Broadcaster's Syndicate, and NBC; others might feature the name of the advertising client, like Coca-Cola.  Some were distributed by religious or educational organizations and will include the name of the organization.

Many were issued by government agencies and include special educational shows or entertainment programs to promote government programs or military recruitment.  Examples include "Serenade in Blue" (for the Air Force); "Guest Star", promoting sales of Treasury Department savings bonds; or "Here's to Veterans".  Many contain major stars performing short plays or musical numbers that were recorded especially for the series and not otherwise available.

Armed Forces Radio discs are a little different.  These mostly contain radio shows broadcast over the networks that were edited for distribution to local AFRS stations - you'll find shows like "Suspense", "Dragnet" and the like.  Some shows were distributed under a different name to take out the name of the sponsor - "Kraft Music Hall" became "Music Hall"; "Lux Radio Theater" was distributed as "Your Radio Theater".

Some AFRS discs contain shows unique to AFRS with desirable content.  These include "Yank Bandstand" and "One Night Stand", featuring big band remotes, and "Command Performance", a special variety series with major stars used to boost morale.

The disc will include the name of the series and a program number and name or date.  Note that longer programs may be spread over discs or sides - it's important to note if the label says "part 1" or "part 2", for example, and to include full info about the labels on both sides of the disc.  Armed Forces Radio discs sometimes have part of one show on one side of a disc and part of a different show on the other so that they could be easily cued and played together - it's tough to sell them unless you have the complete show sold as a set.

It's also helpful to include any markings seen on the record near the label area, particularly with Armed Forces Radio discs.  AFRS would assign a number to a program in a series and that's what you see on the label - it's tough to tell what particular show in a series it really is.  Sometimes, in the area near the label, they would put the date of the show, which can be helpful to identify a particular episode.

Watch for discs containing multiple sides (or parts) of a program.  Most of these discs hold 15 minutes of material, so a 30 minute show might be spread across two sides of the same disc or multiple discs.  (A series of Hollywood Bowl concerts released by AFRS, for example, had each two hour show spread across eight sides on four discs, for example.)

Instantaneous recordings - Radio stations and networks had recording equipment and could record shows off the air or network line for later use.  They might be used as a legal reference by the network, as a record for an ad agency, or for broadcast of the show in a different time zone.  Some might be a special set of discs given to the star of a show for their personal archives.  In rare cases, you might find a rehearsal version of a show or even an "audition" program that was sent to potential sponsors or radio executives.

These will usually be acetate discs with an aluminum or glass base and have handwritten or typed labels.  Again, it's helpful to give as much info as possible about what's on the labels of both sides of the disc and to offer multi-part programs in a set.

The generic labels seen on these include NBC Reference Recordings, a label containing the name of a radio station, or the manufacturer of the discs themselves, such as "AudioDisc" or "Presto".  Some may not have any labels at all - just markings in the label area.  Discs with no labels are a bit of a crapshoot - they might contain something interesting or merely just a recording of jingles or test material by an engineer.

You need to pay special attention to instantaneous discs, noting if the coating is cracked for flaking or if the surface looks like it has spots or a white coating - as they age, they start to decompose, leeching out material that will look like white powder on the surface.  They can still be playable, but these faults can have a significant impact on value.

Music library discs - In the old days, radio stations didn't play phonograph records the way they do today.  Local stations could subscribe to "music libraries" put out by major companies to use as filler or to create their own musical shows.  These generally don't contain commercially released material and were created specifically for music library use, so some can be very desirable since they contain alternate takes or little known recordings by major artists.  A library might contain hundreds of discs, with new ones issued each month, and the stations would have special filing cabinets for them.

Some common labels include Lang-Worth, NBC Thesaurus and Armed Forces Radio Service.  Collectors usually try to get material by artists they're interested in, so list any contents mentioned on both sides of the record, including the names of performers and songs.   Later Armed Forces discs from the late 50s contain mostly commercial material and may not sell well, by the way.

Educational discs - Some schools and businesses used 16" discs for training and other purposes.  These discs were not used on radio.  These generally aren't desirable and you don't run into them often.  Some, which may have been pressed for specific automobile companies sales training programs or for special event venues, like a World's Fair, might be of interest to non-music collectors.

The label should tell you about the content of these records and it should be obvious if it's sales or educational material, rather than entertainment programming for radio.  Some were custom pressed by major labels, such as Columbia and RCA, for clients in industry or government.

If you find these educational or sales records on ebay and can't sell them, please don't toss them out - they might be of interest to a university or archives collecting advertising history (such as Duke University).

Radio commercials - Advertising agencies would sometimes distribute recorded ads for radio stations on 16" discs and these do turn up on occasion.  Values can vary widely and they're not as popular among collectors as other material.  However, they may be of interest to someone that collects material associated with a particular company, like Coca-Cola, or particular products.  If the product is local and you can't find a buyer, consider donating the disc to a local history museum.