Japanes LD's, LP's, etc w/ 'OBI'...what's the significance (1 Viewer)

[Keith Paynter]

I have some Japanese LD's (Disney) and LP's (Beatle LP's), and when I check out auctions on EBay, many Japanese pressings of such items are highlighted with the 'OBI'. (I still have some of them on my own LP's, etc.)

What is the significance of the OBI and what makes it command a higher price to collectors?

 

[David Norman]

No real big deal except it's part of the original packaging.
Apparently there are also some collectors of OBI's (Original Buyer's Information or some equivalent). I think it makes the package look better and gives it a little special shelf appeal.

 

[David McIntosh]

Console game collectors go in for these big time as well. You also often hear them being refered to as spinecards.

It's a nice feeling knowing that you have everything in the package that someone would have had buying the item new. It's a nice feeling, but some people take it way too seriously. Someone put the spinecard for Radient Silvergun (sought after Saturn game) up on eBay, and in the end it sold for £20 (US$ 30). For a piece of card.

If you want to know what they're for, they hold the barcode and pricing details so they don't have to be included on the actual packaging. AFAIK, "obi" is a type of belt for a kimono, and that's where the name supposedly comes from.

Later.

 

[Damin J Toell]

I like how laserdiscs look with a giant obi.

DJ

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Yes, the term originally came from LD/LP where the strip wraps around the jacket like a belt