GOLD CDSIn the early days of cd manufacturing there was some concern about how long a compact disc would last. Although the plastic was believed to have longevity, there were questions about the aluminum layer that carried the information. Aluminum is relatively inert as metals go, but there was an occasional cd that appeared to be corroding around the outside edge. This was called "cd rot". Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, a manufacturer of audiophile sound recordings, decided to use a completely inert metal, gold, to make their cds so that the cd would last virtually forever. Yes gold compact discs are, as you might expect, made from gold, pure 24 kt gold. However before you go running down to the used cd store to buy some to melt down and sell the gold, you should understand something. In a gold compact disc the gold is used instead of aluminum as the reflective layer. It is a very, very small amount. In fact, here's a tip for you; on a real gold cd as opposed to a gold colored cd, you should be able to see through the cd when you hold it up to the light looking at the gold side.
|
 GOLD CD  EARLY CD WITH CD ROT |
MOBILE FIDELITYAlthough there are other brands of gold compact discs that are very collectable, Mobile Fidelity's dicscs are considered to be the most collectable. They are the oldest, have the widest selection, and have maintained consistent quality on their releases. They have the advantage of not being a record label, so they are able to license recordings from all the different companies instead of just releasing cds from their own artists. They also remaster their gold cds, from the original master tapes to improve the sound quality. It should be noted that numbers 501-759 ultradisc II gold compact discs from mobile fidelity are out of print and therefore should maintain and increase in value. The market for these cds skyrocketed when the company went out of business a while back, but has since moderated now that the company is back in business. Never dismiss the fact that cds are sometimes reissued, which can drastically reduce their value and you should consider this fact before spending a lot a money on any collectable cd. I don't forsee this happening with Mobile Fidelity gold cds. Be prepared with deep pockets if you intend to collect very many of these discs as they start at about $30-$40 in poor condition and can easily double or triple that in nice condition. Always keep the original lift loc jewel box if it is in decent shape. For more info on Mobile Fidelity go to their website.
|
 Mobile Fidelity Gold Ultradisc II in factory wrapper  back cover |
 gold disc |
 LIFT LOC JEWEL BOX FOR MOBILE FIDELITY GOLD CD |
OTHER GOLD CDS
  |
 |