PUNK 45s
You may not find cash in your attic, but there might be some valuable vinyl sitting on your shelves. Gary Tipp runs the rule over a bunch of snotty 7"s
MIRRORPIX VIA GETTY
“PICTURE SLEEVES ARE EVERYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO PUNK 45s”
Certain genres suit certain formats. Prog has the album, preferably a double, dance lays claim to the 12" single, while punk will always have the 7", with a picture sleeve a necessity. Dickie Spurgin, of Harbour Records in Emsworth, explains: “Our punk 45s are popular with ‘a certain demographic’ and if word gets out that a collection has come, in we have a large group of regulars who will come into the shop that week. The limited supply is accompanied by a select group of old punks, who create a specialised demand. Therefore, market forces keep the prices healthy. The entry point is around £5 for a popular picture sleeve version of a TOTP pop-punk anthem, and around £10-£20 for rarer issues, but you have to know your product, and collectable singles are individually valued. Picture sleeves are everything when it comes to punk 45s.
“The Clash, Siouxsie, Buzzcocks, The Undertones, The Damned and Ramones are obvious sellers and Stiff Little Fingers, almost exclusively on picture sleeves, but early Adam And The Ants, Chelsea, Generation X and X-Ray Spex are all represented. From memory, the best price for a single was around £100 for a copy of The Damned’s Stretcher Case.”