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The library-sized record collection that went on sale via eBay earlier this week has found a buyer, although the collection, which includes more than three million pieces, didn’t quite fetch the $50 million that owner Paul Mawhinney had been hoping to get. In fact, the final price didn’t inch much further past the $3 million reserve that Mawhinney had set with eBay, although the collection’s final price of $3,002,150 is one of the highest selling prices in eBay’s history. Details on the person who’s claiming to have $3 million on hand are sketchy: He lives in Ireland and goes by the name of jopsoup, and he has 97.1% positive feedback. And it would seem that he’s used eBay to buy music-related items before, although none of his purchases have been this big (not to mention expensive to ship across the Atlantic).
From his eBay feedback profile, we learn that items he’s purchased in the past include:
• A 1-gig memory card for a Fuji camera.
• A Wu-Tang hoodie, the seller of which commented “Thank you for a smooth and pleasant transaction. Excellent buyer! A+”
• A piece of positive feedback from a seller named piercingpros, who commented “Fast payment and very friendly… Great Ebayer!”
• And three positive feedbacks from the_beatgraphter, all of which have the same comment: “Nice one Enjoy da Ardcore :) Pleasure doing business recommended A+”
jopsoup’s sole piece of negative feedback comes from a user named bikerama!!, who wrote:
Item possbily damaged in post but neg’d me with no contact. Your loss no refund
Here’s hoping that Mawhinney and jopsoup work out all of those nasty “postal insurance” details before the collection starts winging its way across the pond.
Record Rama collection sells for $3 million [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
eBay My World: jopsoup [ebay.com]
Earlier: How Much Would You Spend For Six Million Songs? (Hint: $50 Million May Not Be Enough)
This is actually kind of sad. Record Rama was a Pittsburgh institution, and it’s one of the very few places with a sizable collection of the vibrant Pittsburgh doo-wop and jazz scenes. If he could have broken it up, it would have been great to have that section donated within the city.
Anyway, I’m really shocked the winning bid turned out so low. As mentioned in the Post-Gazette article, there are several records contained within the collection that are worth $500,000 each, so this really is a steal. Ah, Record Rama..you rocked Pittsburgh like no one since Donnie Friggin’ Iris.
@It Must Be Take a Worm for a Walk Week: Where does it mention a record worth 500K?
I find it unfortunate that he chose to sell it all as one chunk…I’m sure there are some real treasures in there that would collect quite a healthy sum on their own.
The simple fact that he used EBAY and not Sotheby’s or a real auctioneer to sell something of this high value suggests that he either a) doesn’t really know the value of this collection or b) just doesn’t give a shit.
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: [post-gazette.com]
Highlights:
* Jopsoup is no longer a registered user on EBay
* Jopsoup is apparently “being tracked down” by the seller’s agent.
* Rare Rolling Stones record which the seller claims is worth 10k is going on EBay for $599
Looks like we all may yet have a shot at bidding! I must agree with the first commenter though… where else in the ‘burgh could you pick up an old Lee Perry album on vinyl & a Devin the Dude CD in the same place?
Seller got fleeced. 3 million, American? That’s chump change to the Irish right now.
@It Must Be Take a Worm for a Walk Week: IIRC, the most expensive record to change hands was David Mark Chapman’s copy of Double Fantasy John Lennon autographed before he shot him. That went for either $150K or $525k, depending on who you believe. Next to that, you have the Quarrymen demo Macca bought for $180k and then it drops off quickly to $38K and below.
In other words, unless he has a stack of records John Lennon autographed for Dave Chapman, he doesn’t have any one piece worth $500k, let alone several.
So, who wants to guess when this collection hits eBay again for bidder non-payment? Agreed with above that dude should have used a real auction house for this. Also, while I appreciate his failing health and wanting to give something to his kids, I see that directly at odds with his stated goal of preserving musical heritage (which is why he won’t break this up.) If he really wanted to preserve anything, he’d donate it. Profit or preservation, pick one.
So, what was the “rare” Rolling Stones item?
@Jfrankparnell:
I know we Irish folk have gotten all rich and what not off the Celtic Tiger (or so we’re told!), but me thinks this is a case of someone chancing their arm! The buyer details would point to someone who doesn’t have three million squid in their pockets, wonder if he/she will get a book deal out of it!?
Man, that sucks…the collection should have bought by a museum, or a University music school.