A few days back (last Friday to be precise), something came up on a social media feed with the observation that Where’s Me Jumper? was exactly 31 years old. The post came with an accompanying poster/advert that said ‘debut single and U.K. Tour – 27.1.92″
I’ve previously considered including the song in the Cracking Debut Singles series, but had always been of the belief that the first release from Sultans Of Ping F.C. was the 12″ What About Those Sultans EP! on Fantastic Plastic given that was their only release on that label before their next three singles came out on Divine Records.
I was intrigued enough to look on Discogs where the information is that What About Those Sultans was a mail order only release, with its A-side made up of three demos dating from April 1990 and the B-side consisting of two cover versions. It would seem to have been something of an unofficial release, which means that I shouldn’t have baulked at the idea of Where’s Me Jumper? featuring as part of one of my long-running series.
The song, and it’s accompanying b-sides were highlighted preciously on TVV, back in April 2016 as one of the small number of records I owned on 10″ vinyl. I didn’t buy said record back in 1991, so my copy is second-hand.
I’ve just checked my Discogs history, and it cost me £2 as part of a larger batch of seventeen second-hand records bought at the same time in July 2011 at a cost of £32.25 plus £12 for postage and packaging, which when you add it all up means it was around £2.60 per item. The cheapest single was £1, while the two most expensive were £3.50.
Given I was on Discogs, I decided to take a look at what the going rate is for Where’s Me Jumper? on vinyl in 2023.
There are two copies of the 7″ version up for sale. An Italian retailer is asking for 45 euros plus shipping, while a UK retailer wants £60 (which includes shipping) for what is described as Near Mint in terms of the vinyl and the sleeve.
There are four copies of the 12″ version on offer, from sellers located in France, Italy and the UK. The range is £25 to 58 euro, (all of them are plus postage), with varying descriptions of the quality of the vinyl and sleeve.
There are also four copies of the 10″ listed on Discogs, all from folk in the UK. The asking prices are, in ascending order, £40, £45, £50 and £59.99, none of which include shipping.
The thing is, while I would be happy enough to be described as a ‘record collector’, I don’t buy (and have never bought) anything with the idea that it might increase in value.
It’s always been about wanting a particular record and being happy enough to pay a price that I think is reasonable and fair. I’m also someone who, certainly for the time being, doesn’t want to sell anything from the collection, albeit as I get older and with the recognition that I’ve no family to pass the heirlooms on to, that may change at some point, although ideally it would find its way to someone else younger who is prepared to keep and look after it.
I’m genuinely gobsmacked at the asking price for Where’s Me Jumper? Even the CD version is going for silly money, with the lowest UK price being £9.
All of which has inspired me to begin this new series looking to see if second hand vinyl has really rocketed in recent years, based on what I have paid for things in the past on Discogs.
Here’s the full list of the seventeen purchases from July 2011, complete with what is being asked for today, comparing it with the same condition of vinyl and sleeve as described when I made the purchase, and from a UK seller as that was the location of the 2011 purchases. Where there is more than one option in 2023, I’ve gone with the lowest asking price.
Yello – The Rhythm Devine (7″) 2011 cost £1. 2023 price £4.
Fire Engines – Big Gold Dream (12″) 2011 cost £2. 2023 price £3.99.
Blood Uncles – Let’s Go Crazy (7″) 2011 cost £1.50. 2023 £1.25.
Billy Bragg – She’s Got A New Spell (7″) 2011 cost £1.50. 2023 price £6.50.
Revenge – Slave + Amsterdam (7″) 2011 cost £1.50. 2023 price £4.
The Monochrome Set – The Monochrome Set (7″) 2011 cost £3.50. 2023 price £10.
Primitives – Way Behind Me (7″) 2011 cost £1.50. 2023 price £0.85.
Various – The Fred EP (7″) 2011 cost £3.50. 2023 price £1.90.
Red Guitars – Good Technology (7″) 2011 cost £2.50. 2023 price £2.99.
Martin Stephenson & Daintees – Slow Lovin’ (7″) 2011 cost £1.50. 2023 price £2.49.
Alan Rankine – The World Begins To Look Her Age (7″) 2011 cost £1.50. 2023 price £1.99.
Camper Van Beethoven – Life Is Grand (7″) 2011 cost £2. 2023 price £2.25
Devo – (I Can’t Get Me No) Satisfaction (7″) 2011 cost £2. 2023 price £2.49.
Kiss AMC – A Bit Of…. (7″) 2011 cost £1. 2023 price £0.40
Sultans of Ping F.C – Where’s Me Jumper? (10″) 2011 cost £2. 2023 price £50
Martin Stephenson & Daintees – Crocodile Cryer (12″) 2011 cost £1.50. 2023 price £1.29.
Champion Doug Veitch – Margarita (12″) 2011 cost £2.50. 2023 price £2
That means six items of vinyl are actually available for less than I paid in 2011, although none of them, price wise, are ridiculously cheaper. Another five haven’t gone up by much in price (less than £1 in each instance). The other six have at least doubled, and stupidly so in the case of The Sultans Of Ping F.C.
Removing that one item as it skews things so much, then the cost today of obtaining the other sixteen records adds up to £48.39, in comparison to £30.25. Which equates to an increase of 60%……..and that’s not taking into consideration that posting and packaging would be a lot more expensive, even if by some way of magic they could all be obtained from and sent out by the one seller.
Here’s the 10″ A-side of the valuable piece of vinyl (that has now been given its own ill-fitting plastic sleeve as additional protection):-
mp3 : The Sultans Of Ping F.C. – Where’s Me Jumper?
And your two fun-filled b-sides.
mp3 : The Sultans Of Ping F.C. – I Said I Am I Said
mp3 : The Sultans Of Ping F.C. – Turnip Fish
I think this series might provoke some surprise and outrage…….
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 