Attention U2 Shoppers…

I have noticed something very interesting over the past few years. The “collectibles” market for U2 memorabilia has really changed. Things like magazines, CD Singles, “limited edition” packaging, calendars and concert tourbooks really have not retained any investment value for collectors. Perhaps the landscape has changed because of the number of rare finds has declined a bit, and maybe it’s because the market is now being flooded by the record label. There are still a few items out there that are truly rare…like a Best Of 1990-2000 Weather Station (which I’ve found on eBay only twice), and the purple vinyl for “All I Want Is You” where there is less than 100 or so out there.

Last night while I was shopping at my local Newbury Comics independent record store, I found in the “used” section a mint condition “Collectors Edition” How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb copy with the hard cover book for $6.99. This was the same item I purchased when the album was first released for $49.99. On eBay, Amazon, and some other shopping sites, you can find this item for anywhere between $2.85 and $51.99 depending on the seller and the condition.

Bottom line – in this economy where every penny counts, I’m now considering waiting a year or two (or more) for the limited edition No Line On The Horizon until I can find it for a fraction of what the going rate is. I’ll probably download the CD off of iTunes when it becomes available and then wait for the used copies to start showing up to have the physical copy. If a record store is going to deeply discount a “collectors” version of something, then my investment just will not be worth anything…much like anything else in this economy it seems at the moment.

Oh yeah – the record store also had used box sets for The Joshua Tree and the various reissues from earlier this year. If I can just control my inner-fan who wants to buy it when it first comes out, think of of the savings! I might be able to afford concert tickets after all!

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2 Responses to “Attention U2 Shoppers…”

  1. Silvrlvr 4 January 2009 at 5:24 pm permalink

    Thanks for sharing that. I suspect that record companies believe music fans are like sports fans and will pay outrageous prices to be the first to own memorabilia. But the memorabilia market is in a general nosedive, just like the rest of the collectables market.

    I hope, hope, hope U2 does something like Coldplay did in streaming Viva La Vida briefly for free; it didn’t hurt their CD sales at all, and created some new fans.

  2. natalie 6 January 2009 at 4:41 pm permalink

    which Newbury Comics were you in? just curious =)