Rewind Grading Company, the California-based leader in collectible media grading and authentication announced today the debut of graded music. Launching July 18th, Rewind invites collectors to submit cassettes and CDs (Vinyl to follow). The collectibles will undergo authentication, grading and encapsulation exactly as graded sports cards, comic books and video games. The protective polycarbonate encapsulations feature a grade denoting the condition and quality of the collectible along with pertinent information. Finally, physical music media joins the pantheon of heavy-hitters in the world of collectibles.
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Expert authentication and grading of collectibles has exploded over the last decade. Demand for grading is at an all-time high, with some companies receiving over one million daily submissions. While the bulk have been sports cards and comic books, boundaries remained as to what collectors could preserve and grade. One unserved vertical has long been a source of speculation and excitement in the hobby community. Rewind Grading Company has answered the call and proudly presents music grading, encapsulation and preservation.
Physical Media Strikes Back
People assumed they had witnessed the death of physical media when the last major cassettes were sold in the early 2000s, and as streaming services rendered CDs and DVDs obsolete. However, long after sales of physical media slowed, the last few years produced a strange and abnormally large resurgence of vinyl and cassette sales. In fact, consumers purchased 41 million records in 2022 alone.
What Does This Mean For Collectors?
Now, collectors can finally buy into an alternative asset class with true connective and nostalgic value- as long as they act quickly. When legitimate grading comes to a collectible vertical, that type of collectible is forever changed. While your favorite albums may be available and affordable today, tomorrow that opportunity may pass. Collectors anticipated this breakthrough for years, meaning that this is the last call for the ground level of the industry’s most exciting new vertical.
Rewind’s announcement of music grading portends a stark boost in speculative and collecting interest. Rewind allows collectors to keep their prized music assets safe and securely encapsulated while promoting transparency- protecting collectors from bad actors by identifying any variation from true legitimate issues.
Finally, Rewind’s process is a value-adding proposition. The grades delineate levels of each example’s condition traits, to which collectors ascribe great value. A graded collectible can fetch a far greater price than its raw counterpart as seen in the link below highlighting both raw and graded Michael Jordan rookie-card sale prices.
The Difference in Values Between Raw and Graded Collectibles
The Rewind Review
- Cassette/CD Grading: Hold an album’s history in the palm of your hand!
- Cassette/CD Grading: Opens July 18, 2023
- Cassette/CD Grading: Starts at $35 per item
- Vinyl Grading: A century-old hobby finally enters the collectibles community!
- Vinyl Grading: Opens in Late July
- Vinyl Grading: Starts at $50 per record
Top Vinyl Record Sales at Auction
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1. |
Bob Dylan 1963 Freewheelin’ |
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$150,000 (7/10/22) |
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2. |
The Beatles Yesterday and Today Sealed Stereo First State “Butcher Cover” |
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$125,000 (2/20/16) |
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3. |
The Rolling Stones “Street Fighting Man”/”No Expectations” |
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$81,250 (7/17/21) |
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4. |
Beatles Yesterday And Today Sealed Original First State Mono “Butcher Cover” |
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$57,500 (6/18/17) |
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5. |
Introducing The Beatles Version One “Column Back” Stereo LP |
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$52,500 (6/18/17) |
What is the Industry Saying About Rewind?
“Music embodies the cultural landscape of the past and sets the tone for the future. Archiving and preserving the most important pieces is something that has been desperately needed for collectors and enthusiasts alike, and there is no one more passionate about the space or better positioned to become the standard than the Rewind Team.”
Rob Petrozzo
Co-Founder, Chief Product Officer
Rally
“With such a vast array of potential interests, not only in artists, but genres, there truly is something for everyone in music collecting. With the limited production of some early titles, we are seeing increased interest in cassettes and rare releases. Dan has done an incredible job of making the hobby simple for newcomers and trackable for those deeply involved. We are incredibly excited to offer Rewind Grading Company products in our exclusive music auction here at Goldin in August.”
Jared Mast
Consignment Director
Goldin Auctions
“The graded music market is a sleeping giant in the collectibles industry. Rewind Grading Company is leading the charge to wake the beast. Someday very soon, we will hear graded music spoken of in the same reverent tone as the most sought-after graded comic books and video games. I am truly excited to witness the bright future that Dan and the Rewind team are building for music collectors everywhere.“
Zach Kirkpatrick
Senior Manager
PWCC Marketplace
About Us
Rewind Grading Company
Rewind Grading Company is the collectible industry’s leading professional music grader and authenticator. Based out of Southern California, the company currently accepts submissions of cassettes and CDs for grading. Rewind will open vinyl grading in late summer of this year.
Rewind employs state-of-the-art technology to determine authenticity and assign appropriate numeric grades to music collectibles. Their injection-molding, polycarbonate encapsulations are the pinnacle of the industry as seen in promotional videos where the company drives a 5,500-pound truck over its own case to prove profound dedication to protecting your prized possessions.
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