Collectible vinyl records can mean very different things: a playable shellac album, a soundtrack package with paper ephemera, or a book that deepens a music collection. The best choice depends less on genre alone than on whether you want music to play, a screen-related keepsake, or a detailed reference volume. This group runs from a compact $12.50 Star Trek II book-and-record set to a $250 complete Hobbit box, so the contents and format matter as much as the price.
Quick take
- Choose the 78 RPM 10" 4 Record Set Roy Rogers Souvenir Album Roy's Movies RCA Victor P 215 for an early-format Roy Rogers collection: it combines four 10-inch shellac records with a cardboard book and sleeves.
- Choose The Hobbit Rankin Bass Complete Box Set-3 LPs, Poster, Iron-on Transfers & Book when the appeal is the full boxed presentation, with three LPs plus the poster, iron-on transfers, and book named in its title.
- Choose Star Trek II the Wrath of Khan Book And Record for the lowest listed entry point and a film-score-oriented book-and-record format.
- Choose Larry F Kiner NELSON EDDY A Bio-Discography Radio Shows Hollywood Movies Record when your aim is research rather than another disc: it is a 1992 hardcover reference book focused on Nelson Eddy's recordings, radio work, and career.
Listed price comparison
| Selection | Listed price | Relative price |
|---|---|---|
| Star Trek II the Wrath of Khan Book And Record | USD 12.50 | |
| 78 RPM 10" 4 Record Set Roy Rogers Souvenir Album Roy's Movies RCA Victor P 215 | USD 34.99 | |
| Larry F Kiner NELSON EDDY A Bio-Discography Radio Shows Hollywood Movies Record | USD 49.99 | |
| The Hobbit Rankin Bass Complete Box Set-3 LPs, Poster, Iron-on Transfers & Book | USD 250.00 |
The spread is substantial: the lowest listed price is 95% below the highest. That gap reflects four notably different collecting propositions rather than four directly interchangeable albums.
Decision matrix
For playable historic format: The Roy Rogers set is the clear format-specific choice. Its 78 RPM, 10-inch, shellac construction separates it from the vinyl LP and book-focused selections. It is aimed at a collector who specifically wants the period album form rather than simply a Roy Rogers-related item.
For a complete display-oriented package: The Hobbit set stands apart because the title identifies three LPs, a poster, iron-on transfers, and a book, while its edition is identified as an original 1977 Fantasy Records box set complete with inserts. Pick it when the extras are central to the appeal, not incidental.
For a compact film-soundtrack collectible: Star Trek II focuses on the 1982 film's score and soundtrack in a 33 RPM high-fidelity vinyl LP paired with a book. It is the straightforward choice for someone drawn to The Wrath of Khan rather than a larger multi-piece box.
For discographical depth: The Nelson Eddy volume is a different kind of addition to a records shelf. Its chronological coverage of radio shows, recording sessions, songs, photographs, bibliography, and indexes makes it suited to organizing or studying an Eddy collection.
What separates these choices
Format is the first dividing line. The Roy Rogers album uses shellac and 78 RPM discs, whereas The Hobbit and Star Trek II entries are record sets associated with vinyl LP listening. A turntable setup intended for a 33 RPM LP does not make the Roy Rogers format interchangeable with those two soundtrack selections.
Next, decide whether paper materials are a feature or the main event. The Hobbit package is built around multiple companion pieces; its box has shelf and storage abrasions at the edges and corners, while the description characterizes the LPs as in excellent condition and the poster as pristine. The Roy Rogers set includes a book, but its book is described with general edge and corner wear plus age or dirt staining. Star Trek II keeps the concept simpler with its book-and-record pairing. The Nelson Eddy title is a hardcover book, not a record, so it belongs alongside records as a reference companion.
Condition language also has a different emphasis across the group. The Roy Rogers records are graded Very Good Plus visually, with no sound-based rating stated. Star Trek II is described as having a mint record and a very good plus sleeve, and its attributes identify it as sealed. The Hobbit set emphasizes a complete insert package and wear to the cardboard box. For collectors who prioritize a particular component, those distinctions can be more decisive than genre.
Concise product notes
78 RPM 10" 4 Record Set Roy Rogers Souvenir Album Roy's Movies RCA Victor P 215
This Roy Rogers souvenir album makes sense for collectors seeking a distinctly early record format: four 10-inch, 78 RPM shellac discs are housed in a cardboard book with sleeves, and the music is drawn from eight Roy Rogers movies. The records carry a Very Good Plus visual grade, giving the set a defined record-grade detail. Its limitation is the presentation condition: the book has general edge and corner wear as well as age and dirt stains from storage. It is also a specialized 78 RPM set, making it a more format-specific pick than either soundtrack LP offering.
The Hobbit Rankin Bass Complete Box Set-3 LPs, Poster, Iron-on Transfers & Book
The strongest reason to select this Hobbit set is scope. It brings together three LPs, a poster, iron-on transfers, and a book in an original 1977 Fantasy Records box set described as complete with inserts. That makes it the natural fit for someone who wants the Rankin Bass material as a multi-piece collection rather than only soundtrack discs. The $250 listed price is the group's high point, and the cardboard box has shelf and storage abrasions, especially around its edges and corners. The records, poster, and included materials are the focus here; the exterior box condition is the tradeoff.
Star Trek II the Wrath of Khan Book And Record
At USD 12.50, Star Trek II the Wrath of Khan Book And Record is the lowest-priced route into this group and a focused option for fans of the 1982 film. The set pairs a book with a 33 RPM high-fidelity vinyl LP featuring the film score and soundtrack, and it includes the original cover. Its stated record condition is mint, while the sleeve is described as Very Good Plus. The limitation is simply its narrower scope: this is a single book-and-record presentation, not a multi-LP box with posters or additional collectible inserts. Choose it for the film connection and concise format.
Larry F Kiner NELSON EDDY A Bio-Discography Radio Shows Hollywood Movies Record
For a Nelson Eddy collector, this 1992 hardcover has a clear purpose beyond playback. Larry F. Kiner's *Nelson Eddy: a Bio-Discography* covers recordings, radio shows, songs, and sessions in chronological order, with photos, a bibliography, and indexes. That makes it useful for tracing a performance or locating dates connected with Eddy's recorded and radio career. The key limitation is format: despite "Record" appearing in the title, the listed format is Book, so it does not add an audio disc to a vinyl shelf. At USD 49.99, it is best viewed as a specialized collecting reference.
Final recommendation
For the broadest collectible package, choose The Hobbit Rankin Bass Complete Box Set-3 LPs, Poster, Iron-on Transfers & Book if the original 1977 box, three LPs, and named inserts are your priority. For the most accessible soundtrack-focused choice, Star Trek II the Wrath of Khan Book And Record is the $12.50 pick. Collectors committed to 78 RPM shellac should favor the Roy Rogers four-record album, while serious Nelson Eddy enthusiasts will get the most targeted collecting utility from Larry F. Kiner's bio-discography.
