record show experiences

I am a record vendor, and I will agree that there is a wide range in the quality of records at the shows. I see no problem with that as long as they're priced according to their condition. Not everyone wants or needs a pristine Near Mint copy.

On the other hand, there are those unique, rare items that command a higher price, which brings me to your complaint that you couldn't sell your records for their true value. I shouldn't need to tell you that a dealer can't pay you book price for your records.

What source did you use in determining that your records are worth over $150? You say they are Mint, but that is not a realistic grade for any record that has been opened or played. Even sealed records usually have some cover flaws if they have any age on them. A Mint record is VERY rare.

The Goldmine pricing guides are considered the standard, and the price is based on a condition of Near Mint. This would be a record that looks as if it was just opened. Very Good + is the next step down. This is a record that looks Near Mint except for a few minor flaws; maybe some very light scuffing or a very light scratch that does not affect play. These are generally considered to be worth half the Near Mint value. Prices for lesser records take a nose-dive from there.

The other thing to consider are the different versions of a record. You may have a record that looks just like the one that the book says is worth $100, but is really only worth $10. The price guides can't cover all the many variables. It gets really crazy when you try to price Beatles records. There are over 400 different versions of Sgt. Peppers alone! A website called Discogs is a good source of info on the different versions of a record with ballpark pricing.

I make sure the stuff I take to the shows is at least Very Good. Most of my records are pretty mainstream stuff, and the vast majority of them are priced at $3 or $4. 

Paraneer- you've captured it, I think. The attendees are pretty colorful. I've never gone to a comic book convention or a hacker get together, but I'll bet the vibe/character of attendees is similar. I've met some pretty interesting people in the process of buying records, more often by phone, email and Internet than shows, but I've scored occasionally at shows.
(I think the real high value gems - that meet both #2 and #3  of your list typically wind up on the Internet; like wine, the stuff that fetches a price is often auctioned). 

I recently came to the conclusion that if one is more focused on the cleanliness of their records than on their personal hygiene, they are truly obsessed. Thank goodness the new social standards permit wearing pajamas as streetwear. I'm not being critical; I've actually adopted the style myself. 

it also depends on vendor to vendor. one vendor i've seen had junk stuff such as harry bellafonte, louis prima priced to $30 each and looking beat in and out LOL.

Oh I was not looking for book value.  They were mint.  I doubt he will ever see a copy of either records I brought in even close to the condition these were in. Ever.