VinylAI 
Data as of Oct 18, 2026
Rita Ford's Music Boxes – A Music Box Christmas
1961 · US · Columbia · Vinyl LP Album Stereo
Price guide
Estimated market value via Discogs · as of Oct 18, 2026
- MMint
- $27.31
- NMNear Mint
- $24.44
- VG+Very Good Plus
- $18.69
- VGVery Good
- $12.94
- G+Good Plus
- $7.19
- GGood
- $4.31
- FFair
- $2.88
- PPoor
- $1.44
24 copies listed on Discogs from $0.89.
These are reference estimates from Discogs sold/asking data for this exact pressing, not offers and not a guaranteed price. Actual value depends on condition, completeness and current demand. Any active seller offers on this page are listed separately above.
Offers · 1
- $18ref VA-47CKXMedia VG+ · Very Good PlusSleeve VG🇺🇸 Ships from United States
The Discogs price estimate is a separate reference; offer prices above are sellers’ own.
New to condition grades like NM or VG? Read our vinyl grading guide →
Specifications
- Artist
- Rita Ford's Music Boxes
- Style
- Holiday
- Year
- 1961
- Label
- Columbia
- Catalog number
- CS 8498
- Country
- US
Tracklist
- Side 1
- A1Silent Night, Holy Night - Symphonium1:36
- A2Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Regina1:48
- A3Zu Bethlehem Geboren - Polyphon With Bells0:53
- A4The Monastery Bells - Olympia2:40
- A5O Tannenbaum - Large Kalliope With Bells1:30
- A6O Sanctissima - Regina, Small Kalliope2:47
- A7Spin, Spin - Regina2:00
- A8O Holy Night - Swiss Music Box2:31
- A9Ave Maria - Olympia, Regina3:47
- Side 2
- B1Adeste Fideles - Regina2:18
- B2Still, Still, Holy Melody - Large Kalliope With Bells2:05
- B3Jesus, Lover Of My Soul - Olympia1:14
- B4The First Noël - Regina2:11
- B5Ihr Kinderklein Kommet - Large Kalliope With Bells, Polyphon With Bells, Regina2:52
- B6The Holy City - Olympia2:31
- B7Lobe Den Herren - Polyphon With Bells0:55
- B8Jingle Bells - Regina2:02
- B9Silent Night, Holy Night - Large Kalliope With Bells, Regina2:03
About this record
Columbia's 1961 stereo pressing of A Music Box Christmas (CS 8498) sits in a crowded collector market: 24 copies are currently for sale, yet only 20 collectors actively want it against 956 who already own one. The price spread from Mint to Poor—27.31 down to 1.44—reflects how sharply condition matters on a holiday novelty that has aged unevenly across the decades.
What drives its value
A Music Box Christmas trades on condition far more than rarity. The price_guide values a Mint copy at 27.31 USD, but that premium collapses to 18.69 USD in VG+ and 12.94 USD in VG; a Poor copy fetches only 1.44 USD.
The lowest asking price across 24 active listings is 0.89 USD, signaling a soft floor for worn copies. Community data shows 956 collectors own this stereo variant against only 20 who seek it, placing it well into the surplus zone.
The original 1961 Columbia stereo issue commands no scarcity premium over reissues; the real value driver is the vinyl's physical state. A collector paying 18.69 USD for VG+ is betting the pressing will not deteriorate further; anything below VG+ loses half its value within one grade.
How to appraise this pressing
Confirm this pressing by the Columbia catalogue number CS 8498 on the front cover and spine; the 'CS' prefix denotes stereo, distinguishing it from the mono variant. The label should read Columbia Records and bear the 1961 release date in the liner notes.
The album contains 18 tracks of traditional carols and hymns performed on authentic 19th Century music boxes from Rita Ford's collection. Grade by examining the vinyl surface under bright light: Mint (27.31 USD) shows no play wear or marks; NM (24.44 USD) may have one or two light hairlines but no audible surface noise; VG+ (18.69 USD) displays light play wear visible under magnification but plays cleanly; VG (12.94 USD) shows moderate wear and light surface noise between tracks.
The jacket itself often shows foxing or discoloration on the edges—a common flaw on 1961 Columbia holiday pressings. Verify the dead-wax runout if accessible; Columbia's pressing plants varied by year, but no specific matrix string is documented for this release in standard references.
Further reading: grading a record, how to sell vinyl.
Listen
Hear the album before you buy.
Official videos via YouTube.
Release notes
This is the Stereo variant of the original album issue. A mono issue, , is also available.
Traditional carols and hymns enchantingly played on authentic 19th Century music boxes.
Music boxes from the collection of Rita Ford. (Liner notes.)
Notes sourced from the Discogs database.
Frequently asked
What is a VG+ copy of CS 8498 worth?
According to the price_guide, a VG+ copy is valued at 18.69 USD. This estimate reflects sales data as of the guide's last update and assumes the vinyl plays without skips and the jacket is intact, though minor wear is expected at this grade.
Why is there such a big drop from Mint to VG?
Mint copies (27.31 USD) are rare because holiday records from 1961 were played heavily every December and rarely stored carefully. A VG copy (12.94 USD) has visible wear and audible surface noise, making it less desirable to collectors who value clean playback. The 12.94 USD figure reflects that demand falls sharply once a record shows moderate play wear.
Is this stereo pressing more valuable than the mono version?
The price_guide covers only the stereo variant (CS 8498). Mono copies typically command lower prices in the 1961 Columbia catalog, but no separate valuation is available for direct comparison. Stereo was the premium format in 1961, so the stereo pressing generally holds value better.
How many copies are on the market right now?
24 copies are currently listed for sale across major platforms. The lowest asking price among them is 0.89 USD, which is well below the VG grade estimate of 12.94 USD, suggesting those listings are heavily played or damaged copies.
Should I buy this record if I find it at a thrift store?
Only if the vinyl is graded VG or better and the price is below 12.94 USD. At thrift-store prices (often under 2 USD), even a Poor copy (1.44 USD guide value) may be worth acquiring for the novelty. However, 956 collectors already own this stereo pressing, so resale demand is weak; buy only if you genuinely want to hear the music boxes.