Owners List [501-750]

bought on ebay from an usa seller in April 2008.

Those who try to have one, know from where comes mine. Of course through an Ebay auction but it doesn’t matter who was the seller and how much it had cost. Now i’m the happiest man in the world, i have a piece and I’m a part of this history.
Krist said it:”Internet is our future”.
Thanks to NIRVANA.

sold on ebay in september 2005 for 1000 uk£.
from the previous owner, torsten roesler (uk):
As far as I know, there has only been one previous owner: Joe Snow from the USA. I bought this record off him in 2003.
Both record and sleeve are in mint condition (I mean mint!).

I bought the single at the Brass City Records in Waterbury, Connecticut (I miss that store). . It was hanging on their wall for 2.99. It was underwhelming.

Traded some shovels for this.
Recently liberated from storage.

sold on ebay in january 2004 for 1125 us$

“I was meandering through West London several years ago when I came across a small dark indie record shop, so I went for a browse. There were a few racks of boring old 12″s, so I ignored these and glanced up at the display cases. A few old Beatles collectibles, a couple of scarce Sub Pop 7″s, and then I happened to spot the price of one of the adjacent singles (which were printed on bright red price labels) at an exorbitant price. I was rather surprised, and thought, ‘What, is that a Love Buzz or something?’, expecting it to be an obscure 1960s release. On closer examination, I discovered it was indeed a Love Buzz, #516, and I would surely have missed it if I had not seen the price tag first. (The anonymous black and white sleeve contrasts dramatically with Nirvana’s later covers featuring explosions of colour.) Since I had no particular desire to buy a Love Buzz, I left the shop, and went on my way.

“Over the next few days and weeks, I begin to wonder if I had missed a great opportunity to buy one – however the going rate on eBay was around the same level, so I did not feel any particular sense of urgency. That March, I attempted to retrace my steps, and eventually located the shop I vaguely recalled, with my brother in tow. I looked up to where I remembered the single being displayed, and saw to my horror that it was no longer there. I quickly scanned the other items, and to my great relief spotted #516 a little lower down.

“For those of you who have read the other tales posted on this fabulous page, and are sceptical of the exhilaration and excitement the owners convey at buying one, let me tell you: even the most jaded, cynical collector (such as my good self) gets a sensational ‘buzz’ (for want of a better word) when purchasing what must be the ultimate Nirvana item.

“For myself, that meant that as soon as I expressed interest in the 7”, (for which the shopkeeper eyed me with deep suspicion and scepticism), and unwrapped the vinyl from the pristine sleeve, I was overcome with geniune exhilaration and somehow I knew that I simply had to own it. So instead of being able to haggle rationally for a discount on the hefty asking price, I was too excited to do anything other than blurt out rather too quickly to be comprehensible, ‘Any chance of a discount on that?’ The shopkeeper held his ground, so I asked for a cash discount, and I settled rather too easily for a twenty pound discount.

“So that’s the story of #516, the sleeve is mint, the B side looks virgin, and the A side has been played a few times. Overall excellent condition. I have not played it, and I don’t intend to. But it was all worth it for that unforgettable feeling as I walked out of the door with the single in my hands. Don’t knock it until you’ve done it.

Here is what I was told by the guy I bought it from:
“I really just bought it at Newbury Comics on Newbury Street in Boston on release. i actually had been trading records with Jonathon Poneman but he wouldn’t trade me for Love Buzz. I ran a small label and mail order catalog in college called Aurora Records. I used to sell other labels records with inserts in my records.”
bought on ebay in october 2014. from the auction form: This record has never been played, only opened a few times to inspect and to take pictures

sold on eBay in feb 2016 for 1805$

Found through the latest copy of record collector magazine in 1996 . This super rare officially signed copy of love buzz was advertised at £800 however after a phone call to the seller, he offered it to me for £650. It comes complete with COA from Soundwaves record store based in Burien in Washington. The copy was signed by Kurt at an early Seattle show

Had few subpop 7″s already. heard on peel. bought mailorder from pretty sure alan’s records in wigan straight away. i dunno £3 or £4 or so. saw another on one of pillars in jumbo in leeds few months later. same price. thought about buying. you never know might be worth couple of quid in few years… doh

bought on ebay in july 2007
the seller was the original owner, and bought it for 3.49$.
from the auction form: I’ve kept it in a plastic cover and the record is in great if not mint condition.

Given to me as a gift in 2006, it is in mint condition.

previously auctioned on ebay in january 2004, the winning bid was 1009 us$ but the winner received negative feedback, meaning that the deal didn’t get through.

I’m the original owner. Purchased from Audio Addict Records in Oregon for $3.50.

I am now the 4th owner. Bought this from Brian Savage from the UK in November 2022. He was the 3nd owner.

previous story: bought on ebay at the end of december 2011.
excellent condition, been looking out for this for some time, really happy to finally own it!

this copy was put on sale on ebay in december 2011 and bought by an australian collector who immediately resold it to the current owner.
from the first ebay auction form: Selling this for the original owner who back when this was released owned a couple local Record Stores and had a small independent Punk Rock record label, and so bought this directly from Sub Pop Records retail sales. Like most people who own, or have owned record stores, he had too many records to play any of them very much, so this has seen little play and all facets are in NM/EX+ condition. The sleeve has some light creasing in the bottom right hand corner (or on the backside it is the numbered corner). The vinyl has a couple light/normal clicks at the beginning of each side (probably inherent to the disc) but sounds strong and clean other than that. A light line (only visible under light) on the A-Side has no audible effect whatsoever.

I bought my copy in September of 2000 using money I’d received from my high school graduation earlier that year. The sale was facilitated by Nils Bernstein and the single came from Chris Brokaw of Sub Pop bands Codeine and Come.
I do not ever hesitate to play this record. To keep it locked-up is to completely miss the point.

I bought it along with a 7″ Oh the guilt picture disk and three bootlegs from a little record store in the heart of Sydney in 1995 for the pricely sum of $410 AUD.

sold on ebay in april 2002 for 811 us$
from the auction form:
cover condition: mint, except for two small pinholes on the upper corners (see picture). record has surface scratches, overall call it “good”.

auctioned by christie’s in june 2009, the estimate was 2000-3000 us$, the price realized was 3750us$.
Sale Information:
Sale 2179
Pop Culture
23 June 2009
New York, Rockefeller Plaza
Lot Description:
Nirvana
Love Buzz/Big Cheese
Rare example of Nirvana’s first single, Love Buzz Subpop 23, hand numbered on the back of the sleeve in red marker 538/1000, accompanied by an original Sub Pop flyer. This particular copy was given to photographer Charles Peterson by Kurt Cobain, and has been in his possession since.
7x7in.

Charles Peterson
June 2, 2010 at 10:49 pm
SAM,

I did sell my copy of Nirvana’s Love Buzz 7″ single at Christie’s last year for $3K. Stupid thing is that I was in charge at the time mailing them out. I had as many as I wanted (out of edition of 500) at my disposal and only grabbed two (the second one I sold many years ago for very little). So as DAH says if you like it buy it because it may not be accessible in the future

Colby Miers sold it on july

Previous story: received this until-recently-undiscovered copy of Love Buzz/Big Cheese in an eBay auction ending on April 10, 2014, the same day Nirvana was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The record was part of a set of merchandise sold by David T. of Seattle, WA who interned at Sub Pop in ’88 and ’89 and claims he was at the Terminal Sales Building in ’88 when Nirvana came to pick up their copies of the single, and that he watched as Bruce Pavitt told the band, “We’d really like to put out your LP…”
The lot sold for $3300 and included the following items (all records first pressings):
• Love Buzz/Big Cheese 7” – “542”/1000 in mint condition (Sub Pop, 1988)
• Bleach on white vinyl (still in its original shrink wrap) [Sub Pop, 1989]
• Sliver 7” (Sub Pop, 1990)
• Nirvana/The Fluid’s Molly’s Lips/Candy 7” (Sub Pop, 1991)
• Nirvana/Jesus Lizard’s Puss/Oh, The Guilt 7” (Touch And Go, 1993)
• Original white Nirvana/Sub Pop T-shirt with orange “Dante’s Inferno” print
• An original flyer from Kurt Cobain’s private funeral service held on April 10, 1994, featuring a portrait of Kurt Cobain as a child and the inscription “Kurt Cobain, 1967 – 1994”.

from the old owners’ list hosted on nirvanadiscography.com:
Sonic Temple Music was the last known owner of the single. (Thanks to Adam for locating it.)
thanks to joris baas

I am the third owner of the single, according to the chap I got it from he obtained it from a friend of the band, didn’t say who it was though. I bought it from eBay in April ’03 for about $600, which I thought to be a good deal at the time, as a few others were going for around $850. No. 543 is currently in mint condition, with just a tiny little fold in one corner. The disk itself has only been played once or twice, the vinyl is mint, with a slight tear around the hole.

I traded two Tad 7 “ singles to a friend for this in mid-1989. He hated it.
I got the autographs when I saw them play in-store at Rough Trade Records on Haight St., Feb 14, 1990.
Chris commented that he never got one of these!
Kurdt was super quiet but very nice and friendly. Really nice guys. There were about twenty people there to watch them play. Tad was there as well and Tad Doyle jammed Sweet Home Alabama with them.
They played at SF’s Kennel Club that night. Kurdt was playing an aqua Fernandez Mustang copy with a cool 3D Jesus pickguard. He smashed it that night…I grabbed the broken, mangled body but roadie took it back and said “we use the parts to build other guitars to smash” and tossed me the broken neck. I still have it.

I bought this copy from Time Bomb Records,Osaka Japan.
I’ve been big Nirvana fan and dreamed of getting this record since junior high school student.
And Finally,I got it !! So happy and This is lifetime treasure.

sold on ebay in february 2012 for 2502 us$.
from the auction form: Mint condition! From the personal collection of Sub Pop founder Bruce Pavitt.

In 1999 this copy was displayed in the “seattle music scene” exhibit at the rock’n’roll hall of fame in cleveland.*

* info taken from the old owners’ list hosted on nirvanadiscography.com
thanks to joris baas

from the current owner:
I bought my Love Buzz 7″ on eBay from Richy Boyer of Bellingham, just north of Seattle, in November 2003. It wasn’t cheap (especially with UK import taxes!) but it’s in perfect mint condition and it’s something I’ve always wanted since I started collecting Nirvana in 1992, when I was 14 and just didn’t have the money… It’s a great addition to my collection!
from the previous owner, richy boyer:
In the spring of 1990, I’d seen Nirvana a couple of times and owned Bleach, but this single was already impossible to find even in Seattle. I finally saw a copy on the wall of a store in the University District called Cellophane Square (in its original location, on 41st or 42nd between University and Brooklyn Aves), and the price tag was $50, which seemed outrageous. Nirvana was really hyped locally, but damn. Still, I broke down after much deliberation and bought it, and subsequently felt sick to have just spent $50 for a single by a local band. Who’d have thunk it’d be worth so much more later? I was afraid that in a couple years I wouldn’t be able to get $5 for it, let alone break even if I ever sold it. Turns out that was the only time I saw it for sale in person, so I’m lucky to have picked it up!

bought on ebay in june 2004 for 1055 us$
from the auction form: mint++condition. purchased directly from the subpop office, november 1988 and stored securely ever since.
– vinyl is in mint condition
– no ring wear on outer or inner sleeve

Jon Poneman gave it to me when I came to work at Sub Pop. It’s never been played.

I bought this copy in July 2013 after years of searching and admiring this single. I got it off Rick Shipley, production manager of the Offspring.
He helped me with the price and postage etc too – great guy.
Been collecting for over 20 years now, and really happy to finally get this copy.
The sleeve is Mint, the vinyl looks like it may have been played once – VG condition.

from the previous owner, Rick Shipley (usa):
Went to high school with them (The Offspring) and have been working for them ever since. Starting as merch guy when they were nobodies, then worked at Nitro records for 16 years and now working at Dexters hot sauce company and back to being production assistant when they tour. As for Nirvana…my old band opened for the Melvins and as we were getting ready to go on Kurt and Courtney came strolling in. To say the least I was nervous as hell since the Melvins are my fave band and Nirvana second. Kurt was cool as hell. It was right when Nevermind was blowing up and I went up to him and said sorry to bug you…etc but he said no problem pull up a chair and we chatted a bit…of course Courtney had to be the center of attention. Best show I saw of them was in Tijuana Mexico on the Nevermind tour. 2nd best was when they opened for Sonic Youth at the Hollywood Palladium with Dale Crover on drums. Fond memories.

Daniel Kirman, the previous owner, sold this copy in 2014 to Paul

Bought in 1988 in a record store in New York.

Used to collect Sub Pop records.  Was an early fan of Nirvana

This record belonged to my husband, who passed away. He was the only owner. Even though I never saw him play it, I can’t say that he never did. It appears as though the record has been played once or twice. There is a small scuff on one side, but I played the record myself to see if there were any problems. The record did NOT skip and I heard no distortion in the sound at all. This single is numbered (in red) 566 of 1000. It has been kept inside its plastic sleeve, stored inside our home.  A rare find and a great gift for any collector- especially on the 20th anniversary of Kurt’s death.

Purchased at a London record fair in 1996 for £280, annoyingly the trader had 3 copies and I regret not purchasing all of them.

I bought two copies (#577) after hearing ‘Big Cheese’ on the John Peel show. At the time I preferred that to the A side. I can only imagine that I must have sent a postal order or something to Subpop in the States to get them, as I definitely got them mail order from somewhere. I guess one of them may have been played one or two times, and I honestly can’t recall why bought two…..

bought in november 2014.

from the previous owner, anthony didomenico (usa): This was purchased off Ebay from Sandra Whitehead in England for $1625 in August 2013 as a birthday present to myself. The sleeve has a tiny pinhole to the right of the banner on Kurdt’s shirt. The record appears to have been played @ least once but no more than a few times.
Years ago i owned a copy (I believe in the #980’s which i “lost”). The whereabouts of that copy are unknown as my storage unit was auctioned off for $400 in 2008 containing over a 15 year collection of NYHC, punk, an entire SUB POP 7″ collection & various toys/clothing.
I made this a goal of mine to get back an original copy.
This copy is for keeps. My goal for next year is a red slash promo or autographed copy (if there are actually any).

previously sold sometime between 2006 and 2009 by eil.com
Condition: All items are in mint or excellent condition unless otherwise stated

I was extremely luck to buy the Love Buzz single around 18 years ago. It was from a company here in the UK called Esprit or Eil.com. Also I was fortunate enough to buy an Autographed photo of Kurt signed by all the band in gold pen.

I bought two copies (#571) after hearing ‘Big Cheese’ on the John Peel show. At the time I preferred that to the A side. I can only imagine that I must have sent a postal order or something to Subpop in the States to get them, as I definitely got them mail order from somewhere. I guess one of them may have been played one or two times, and I honestly can’t recall why bought two…..

sold on eBay in March 2019 for A$ 2950

#585 was or is probably owned by John Peel (R.I.P).

On Feb 11, 2022 radio 6 (2h 40m) have just mentioned 2 copies owned by John Peel. #470 and #585.

curiously this copy has been numbered by hannah parker, who should have stopped numbering somewhere before #528.. the number is written very similarly to copy 537, so she probably wrote 537 on two copies and then corrected one, retouching the 3 so it looks like an 8… and then gave up numbering altogether!
from the current owner:
I can confirm that it looks like the 3 has been retouched to an 8. It’s done quite well so I guess that’s why I haven’t noticed it before!

bought on ebay in february 2004 for 2000 uk£.
from the auction form:
This is probably a one of a kind from that whole batch of 1000.
This comes fully signed by the original members as well as Dave Grohl.
In total it is signed by Kurt Cobain(who also spelled his name KURDT like it is in on the back sleeve!), Krist Novoselic, Chad Channing and Dave Grohl.
To make this EVEN rarer, it is signed on the front cover AND on the disc middle itself. It also has some random doodles about it too which you can see in the pictures. Krist has a cigar in his mouth, Kurt has a peace sign on his forehead, and Chad has silver lip stick.
also, kurt has tits on the back sleeve

bought on ebay in november 2012.
I have dreamed about owning this record forever, but just recently I have had the feeling to face the expense, I had tried a couple times before to place a bid but the auctions went too high, while this one occurred to be the right one. The waiting for it to arrive was the most struggling experience in my life!! Vinyl and sleeve are excellent conditions, only a little normal wear due to age. I am the second and FINAL owner, willing to sell a kidney rather than this 🙂

from the previous owner, glen dietrich, usa: I have worked off and on at Lou’s Records in Encinitas, California since 1986. At the time this was released, I was buying anything and everything on Sub Pop. I think I paid $2.99 and have had it ever since.

3rd owner of this 7″. Complete with orignal polybag which has original price tag $4.99 on it from Earwax Records(old Detroit area store).. Dated 10-88..

Bought it in summer 2004 for a lot of money via eBay.
I’ve wanted to get it for a long time and now when I had a lot of cash and nothing to spend it on I decided to buy it. The day I got it I was shaking like a leaf when I opened the envelope.

I bought it in october 2006 from Eamonn for an undisclosed amount. He listed it on ebay without a reserve. I contacted him, made an offer and bought it outside of ebay. It was listed for about 2 days… It once may have belonged to Kurt Cobain himself, is just an added bonus 🙂
I’ve looked up the history of many Love Buzz singles, using this site and others. My singles history is the only one which mentions the name Tam Orhmund. On page 119 of a Kurt Cobain biography called Heavier Than Heaven, written by Charles R. Cross, it states the following:
“… Orhmund had instead moved to Seattle, which to Kurt seemed to be the only qualification needed to be the band’s manager. On the day they picked up the “Love Buzz” single they stopped by her place and Kurt announced she was their new manager…. Even on the day the single came out, Ohrmund remembered, “Kurt acted like he hated Sub Pop”… ”
This story does fit in with what Eamonn and the person who sold it to him had said. I’m 99% sure, #606 is that single. It would have been nice to talk to her about my single, Kurt and Nirvana. When I’m bored and at home.
The research will continue!

from previous owner, eamonn tootill, uk:
I bought it on ebay in 2002 for a lot of money.

note (not verified) about a previous owner:
She was a housemate of Tam Ohrmund at the time she was the band’s temporary manager, and after the single came out, she was given that copy by Tam. Tam had been given it by Kurt.

from the owner:
I bought it in 2004 on ebay. the seller was a reading-based record store.

from the auction form:
You don’t see these that often and especially not in as MINT as condition as this one!

I bought Record in 94 for £150.00 from Record Collector Seller from London. I’ve played 1 time to hear it. Mint Vinyl and Cover. Couldn’t of ask for a better Buzz.

An eBay purchase from 2009 for £1300

Purchased new from Selectadisc records Nottingham. I was the DJ at the Garage nightclub in Nottingham and Gary the singles buyer got three copies and put one aside for me. It’s in mint condition and only recently resurfaced during lockdown as my project to slim down my vinyl, it was hidden in another LP.

I bought the 7″ on release from Rhythm Records in Cambridge.

had been wanting a copy of love buzz for some time, and had been looking on ebay and at that time they were selling for about $300 dollars, and i said to myself i refuse to pay that much for a 7 inch record.
but as time went by and i started to collect more and more nirvana memorabilia the price of the love buzz single kept going higher and higher.
it rose to $500, then to $700, then finally broke a thousand, at that point i said to myself i just better get myself a copy now before they go any higher, so i spotted one on ebay in 2002 and paid about $1100 dollars for it, when it arrived my hands were shaking as i opened the package, and finally i held my copy in my hands and it was worth every penny of it.
my copy is mint/mint, vinyl and sleeve. i told my family when i pass to place it in my coffin, i’ve waited too long for my copy of love buzz, and when i go, it’s coming with me, i will have #620 forever…..

I bought on ebay in december 2002 for 741.11uk£/1164us$.
the seller was from the uk.
from the auction form: I purchased this from a reputable dealer in England some years ago and I have stored it very carefully. The sleeve is in TRUE NEAR MINT condition. There is no wear AT ALL: all of the corners are nice and sharp and there is no ringwear, bending, folding, creasing, or scuffing. The record is also in TRUE NEAR MINT condition. When viewed under a bright light there are NO marks apparent whatsoever (and no spindle marks). It could quite easily be unplayed.

Andrew bought this copy online from the previous owner’s family member after his passing. The record is still pristine and unplayed.

On sale on eBay in June 2022

I purchased this copy on EBay in 1999 for $720 from the UK. The gentleman who sold it to me was the owner of a record store, and also sent me a notarized copy of a letter that I had penned, saying that it was clearly authentic and refundable if ever proven not to be. I had it framed (nicely!) and it’s been hanging for all to see since!

sold on ebay in april 2014 for 2000 us$ by an italian seller.
from the auction form: The cover is in EX condition, without any major deterioration.The vinyl is in EX condition.
In my records collection since late 1989.

Bought late 1989 or early 1990 from staff member at Vinyl Solution in Portobello Road, London. Paid £50 (which seemed nuts at the time).

Court bought this one off of eBay on 2/25/23

Bought recently from a rare vinyl dealer. #633 very nice condition.

I won/bought copy #636 from eBay for GB£826 in January 2007.
It was described as MINT by the seller and my own evaluation below pretty much lives up to that description:
“The sleeve is MINT as described with one or two tiny (ie. less than 1mm) corner dints/creases & barely noticeable impressions of ringwear where the vinyl was originally packed into the sleeve. The vinyl itself looks mint, apart from some small but visible scuffs/scratches in the playoff grooves on both sides, parallel to the grooves, looking almost like smears. I don’t know if they would create any surface noise as I’m not playing it on my dusty turntable mat! Nothing major, but I think these would probably downgrade it to EXCELLENT. All the correct matrix details are there as expected.” (Jan. 07)

The seller, Jonny, gave me these details about previous ownership:
“I purchased the single from Vinyl Exchange in Manchester as also most of my collection came from there too. When i asked if they ever come across it, the guy behind the counter said theyd had one or two but he actually had it within his private collection and would sell it for £75! i went up again the next week and bought it off him, he used a fake to show me the differences between them.. my mates thought i was barmy to spend so much on a single as it was just about all my weeks wages then! it has been a joy to own and i can only hope it returns you a similar profit in the future if you one day also decide to sell it..
I have owned this record for about 12 years the record & wraparound sleeve are both in mint condition. It has been preserved in its original plastic dust cover since the day I purchased it and stored away with the rest of my Nirvana collection.” (Jan. 07).

I worked in Vinyl Solution Records in London at the time of the release.

A none too exciting story I’m afraid.  I bought my copy (#639) in about ’94 for £100 from the second hand store I used to work at.  It now resides in ***.  As to the legitimacy of it, well when I bought it pre-dates some of the better copies which were made as a result of the ‘F Is For Fake’ article published by Record Collector in Feb. ’97.  Also, it was bought into the store as part of a huge collection of early Sub Pop from some long term collector.

note: taken from the old owners’ list hosted on nirvanadiscography.com
thanks to joris baas

I purchased it from Ebay for $2025 on April 25, 2008.
from the auction form: The vinyl and cover and both in Excellent condition.

My ex-husband purchased this record in 1988 at Play It Again Records in Bethlehem, Pa, he worked there and every week came home with an armfull of vinyl, I am the only owner it has had.  We were into buying subpop vinyl at the time and didn’t know who Nirvana was.  This record was only played once and I just found it looking thru my old 7″ records and didn’t realize how collectible it was until I googled it.

bought on ebay in dicember 2008 for 1300 uk£.
from the auction form:
Cover Condition: MINT
The cover has been stored in its original plastic sleeve, and inside the ORIGINAL cardboard mailing envelope the record was sent in to the original owner, both included with the sale. The folded one piece card sleeve is in amazing pristine condition!
Vinyl Condition: MINT
There is a very good possibility that this copy has never been played! The gentlemen I purchased it off 6 years ago said he had never played it, and he purchased it off the original owner. Since purchase, I have never played it.

from the previous owner, christopher furlong (uk): Like all other Love Buzz’s, they started out as being given out to members of the Sub Pop Singles Club. The 1st owner got it this way. The 2nd owner was Daniel Withers. He bought the single back in 1992 for £80.00. He never played it, and I’ve never played it. So the single could still be unplayed but I doubt it. Daniel held onto it for 11 years until he tried several times to sell it on ebay. His first 2 attempts were failed by non-payers. There was a lot of controversy over wether the single was real or fake. There were many people thinking it was fake. I trusted him with the information he gave me and decided to bid. I won the auction at £799.00. I recieved it and checked all the points about it that could be fake and it wasnt, it’s real! Now I am the third owner of this Love Buzz and maybe the youngest ever owner (17 now, 15 when i got it, Birthday: 28th August 1987).
The single is in mint condition, I have worked in a record shop so I know my
gradings. What a lovely 45!

Got it in a 2nd hand record shop in Notting Hill, London before Ebay and Discogs existed. Also just before Nirvana were really begin to take off so I think I got a good deal. It was probably the most I have ever paid for a 7″ single, not into triple figures.

bought on ebay in september 2008 for 1958us$.
from the previous owner, dennis staley (usa): I bought the record, new, when it came out in 1988 and have had it stored since then. It is still as new and unplayed.

sold on ebay in january 2003 for 910 us$
from the auction form: Cover and sleeve are m-.

resold by the buyer on ebay in october 2004 for 686 uk£
from the auction form: The condition of both the record and the sleeve is excellent. The only minor flaw I can see is a very slight discolouration of the sleeve in the bottom right corner. This really is only very minor and is only apparent upon close inspection.

this copy was first sold on ebay in june 2002. here’s part of the text included by the seller (from the usa) on the auction form:
I have been the only owner of this 7″ since its original 1988 release, and it has only been played once. The item is in Very Good condition, and the only element that might make me slightly hesitate before labeling it “Mint” is a very small superficial surface scuff on the “Love Buzz” vinyl, that was present when the record was originally purchased; I tried to capture it in a photo, but it wouldn’t even register. Other than this minor detail, the vinyl and folding jacket are in outstanding condition.
in november 2004 this copy was sold again on ebay. the seller wasn’t the same person who bought it in 2002, so the record has changed owner at least once in between. the auction winner is the current owner, here’s his story:
I am a long time Nirvana fan and an original version of ‘Love Buzz’ has been on top of my wish list for a very long time. Not only because it’s the first official Nirvana release ever, but also because the titletrack is a composition by a Dutch band (Shocking Blue) and I am from the Netherlands myself. I got outbid on eBay quite a few times, or hesitated because I did not trust the seller too much. Late last year I made another attempt. All things looked well and I just published my first book so I had a good reason to give myself a little (well…) present. I bid…and bid…and won. This copy comes from a guy in the UK and matches all the details of an original. It is one of the nicest additions to my music collection so far!

From the auction form:

This auction is for Nirvana’s legendary first single. This is the authentic, original pressing on Sub Pop records, released in a hand-numbered edition of 1,000. This copy is #652 of 1,000.

Being sold by original owner. Record comes from smoke-free home and has been well cared for.

From the auction list:

Up for sale is the holy grail of nirvana collecting. A first pressing original 7″ vinyl – love buzz–big cheese . It is hand numbered (red ink) #653 out of 1000. Nirvana,s 1st single and debut of sub pop records singles club . Condition of cover is ex+ condition , light fold .( see pic # 6 ) the record is in ex+ condition , it has 3 very light scuffs .( pics # 11 & 12 ). It was hard to photo the scuffs , i think the photos shows how light the scuffs are . There are no other marks on either side . The lp you see in my photos is the record you will get . Matrix run out codes : Side a–why don,t you trade those guitars for shovels ? sp-23-a l-31540 kdisc side b–sp-23-b l-31540x kdisc

bought my copy in a recordstore (halb tanz) in zürich/switzerland upon its release solely based on a review in the german fanzine “howl”. i paid 11 swiss francs for it.

We found this picture in a Japanese website.

I bought this from wouter mahu in march 2009 for the price of 2000 us$.

from the previous owner, wouter mahu (holland): I bought Love Buzz #661 in november 2008 offline from someone who had it since 1990. He bought it at a record fair for 250 Dutch Guilders and only played it once. since then it’s been kept in its protecting sleeve and stored with care…

bought from ebay in july 2012.

The previous owner, from Switzerland, got it directly from the Sub Pop singles club. From the sale description: Visually it looks just marvellous – no scratches, scuffs etc. Shiny and glossy. The cover/wrap up (stored in a plastic sleeve) is also in NEAR MINT (MINT?) condition. No frayed corners, no bends, discolorations – pristine!

auctioned on ebay in july 2005 for a starting price of 1250 us$, went unsold. from the auction form:
I bought this in late 1992 at a records show.
Conditions: Sleeve: Record sleeve is an 8 or 9 out of 10. No creases, but there are a some indentions from the record itself. On corner has a little dent. Record is, like sleeve, 8 or 9 out of 10. One minor/light scratch about 1 cm long on B-Side, but does not affect playing in anyway.
auctioned again in august 2005, and sold for 1150 us$

auctioned on ebay in october 2005 for a starting price of 1399 us$, went unsold. from the auction form:
Cover and record are NEAR MINT.
auctioned again in november 2005, and sold for 1691 us$

Well, it was about time I owned this record! After years and years of admiring this rarity from a far, I decided to step up to the proverbial “plate” and do my best to get one. After many auctions gone-too-far, I hit my computer at 3am and saw copy #669 listed a few minutes prior. As with previous auctions, I always tried emailing the seller trying to convince him/her to sell early – only to get a flat out “No” or no response at all. I figured what the heck and tried it anyways with this seller. After 2 emails back and forth, I offered the fine gentleman from New Jersey $700 US for it, and on November 25th, 2003 – he accepted!! I couldn’t believe I was actually going to own this record!!

The seller then shipped out the record the next day after payment, and all was good….Until I found out that he sent it REGULAR MAIL – no insurance OR tracking! For the next week and a half I was near tears thinking of the worst case scenario but then on December 15th, 2003 – a oversized novelty box arrived addressed from New Jersey. Suddenly life was damn good again. And it has been since!!

I store this record at the bank safety deposit box for safety reasons.
I actually had nightmares of accidentally sitting on it and such, so for peace of mind it stays far away.
I do go visit it lots – unlike a discarded family member!!

I heart #669!

sold on ebay in october 2010 for 1404 us$
from the auction form: cover: ex+, faint crease in the upper back right. sleeve: nm, record: ex-, some small scratches that do not effect play. labels: ex-, light spindle wear.

the seller, chad janko (usa), had bought it on ebay in april 2009 for 1800 us$

from the previous owner, joe mezzatesta (canada): I bought it off ebay (in january 2005) after saving enough money..
paid a little over a grand (USD). It is in NM condition.

this copy had previously been offered a few times on ebay in 2004, but the transactions didn’t go through. from the auction forms: Mint condition sleeve and vinyl.

previously sold on ebay in october 2001 for 690 us$.
from the auction form: no bent corners, mint vinyl.

From the previous owner BOBBY RUSSELL: I was (still am) a big Nirvana fan dating back to 1992. I would check out local CD and record shops back then for their music, buying anything I could find by them. During those years my interest was spiked by the elusive “Love Buzz” single, but I could never find one locally.
Finally, through the internet and years of waiting, I bought it on ebay in late 2003 for around $975.00 from a guy in Seattle. I debated a while since it was just a 7″ inch record with two songs. Did plenty of research as well to make sure it was real before the temptation to buy it won out. Now, I see it as the best decision I ever made!

Robert bought this copy from Main Street Vinyl in North Carolina at the beginning of 2018.

bought on ebay in february 2001 for 660 us$
finally got it!  saw it, actually two at a record swap in san francisco about 10 years ago, back then the guy wanted $75.00 a piece for them, been kicking myself ever since for not getting both.  Finally had to shell out some real dough for this one.

Jarrod bought this copy in march 2016 on eBay for $ 2250

I purchased it from him in February of 2018 bringing it back home to Seattle where it belongs.

first owner: I bought it at Record City on Dempster in Skokie sometime c.1989. I worked there for about a year and I paid no more than three bucks for it. We carried a bunch of the early SubPop stuff as part of a large selection of indie/import/obscure vinyl. The single has since continuously resided with me in Chicago and still plays beautifully (and LOUD!) I also saw Nirvana twice during this era, first at Dreamerz on Milwaukee Ave. and later at Metro opening for Eleventh Dream Day, both as a quartet with Jason. Nirvana were great, but I always liked Mudhoney better. Nonetheless, I’m hanging on to this and the other singles I have by them. It’s a good’un and I’ve grown quite fond of it over the years.

I first heard of the release through Michael Azerrad’s book ‘Come As You Are’, in 1993, and that it was fetching up to $100 in some circles. This being before the days of Ebay, I poured over the pages of Goldmine Magazine, finally discovering one for sale through a west coast record shop. This was shortly after Kurt’s death, and prices had increased a bit. He was asking $350, and I accepted. The shop owner also offered me a Bleach 1st pressing for $100, but I declined – I had my gem.
Love Buzz #677 has remained in my possession since 1994 – unplayed and protected in beautiful condition.

#678 was found around 1998 in a record store in upstate NY, just sitting in the stacks with a bunch of other old 7″s.

There have been 3 owners of this record since it’s release.
How it came into my possession starts back in 1989 when I originally attempted to buy it direct from sub pop records from an order form/catalog that had that listed (it was around $2.50 US). They sent me back a letter stating that they had just within that month sold their last copy, but sent me back a $1 and a $2 Sub Pop bucks (I actually still have them and am keeping them with the record). Fast forward many sad years of never finding it/being unable to afford it, when I saw it up on ebay in 2018 for $1,900 US. I confirmed that this was the real deal and purchased it from Josh Kressin. Josh was selling it since he owned 2 copies (he still has #343), and kids are expensive.
Josh sent it to me along with a handwritten note of how he had purchased it from the original owner Chris Munford right outside of EMP @5:30PM after visiting the Nirvana: Taking Punk To The Masses exhibit on 9/10/2011 for $1,600 US CASH. Chris had originally bought the record at the Syracuse University record store in 1988/89 because a friend of his told him that he should buy it. It was on clearance for about $1 US (that’s right one buck).
The amazing part is, this record still has the original price sticker (with a blue clearance mark) on the plastic sleeve for $2.65 US, is still in amazing condition, and is mine.

We know that this copy is in the hands of Ryan Aigner

Purchased in Seattle, 1998

sold by Seattle’s Silver Platters store

Le 45T LOVE BUZZ / BIG CHEESE 693/1000 a déjà appartenu à un français qui était abonné chez SUB POP FANZINE. Cette personne avait une petite collection de vinyls (Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Tad, etc etc…). Aprés avoir cherché le 1er 45T pendant quelques années, j’ai réussi à le trouver grace à ROCK’N’ROLL VOLTAGE petit magasin sur PARIS tenu par Arno et Charles excellents vendeurs qui me l’ont vendu. J’ai fais une très bonne affaire avec eux, le vinyl et la pochette sont très propres (comme neuf)
Je dois avoir le vinyl LOVE BUZZ/ BIG CHEESE depuis l’année 1997 et je suis fière de posséder ce 45T.

“Copy #693 was owned by a French, subscriber to the Sub Pop fanzine, who had a small collection of vinyls (Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Tad, etc…)
After searching for the 1st Nirvana single for some years, I could find it through Rock’n’Roll Voltage, a small magazine about Paris, kept by the excellent Arno and Charles, who sold it to me. I got a very good deal, vinyl and sleeve are in mint, like new, conditions.
I wanted the Love Buzz / Big Cheese 7″ since 1997, and now I’m the proud owner of this copy.”

sold at the end of summer 2011.

from the previous owner, keith parry (usa): I own Scratch Records, a then small record store in Vancouver, 3 hours north of Seattle. To my knowledge, we  were the only store that dealt directly with Sub Pop at the time. We got copies of all of the limited edition Sub Pop vinyl. This copy is mine, bought the day we got them in. I remember that day as all of the long haired Vancouver kids into Sub Pop and Nirvana were lined up in the morning when the store opened at 10:30 in the morning to make sure they got a copy!
Condition: Near Mint (NM or M-). Sleeve Condition: N

Bought from seller in Japan in 2020

Bought on ebay in january 2011 for 1626 us$.

previously owned by roger lewis and lori clermont (canada), who also own(ed) copy #976

note: taken from the old owners’ list hosted on nirvanadiscography.com
thanks to joris baas

Sold on Discogs on Feb 4, 2022 for 4300€

Previous owner: jean-pierre dessart, holland

Zack bought this copy from Tony in Nov.23

Tony bought this copy from a Canadian seller on eBay in 2007 for 1100 CDN

from the previous owner:I was in a record store about a year and a half ago.  I noticed a GIANT stack of seven inches, mostly punk and new wave stuff.  I asked where they came from.  The store owner said a WNEW (102.7 in NY) DJ had traded his entire 7″ collection the night before.  I went through the entire stack and found a ton of stuff, mostly punk and new wave.  At the bottom were a few of the earliest Sup Pop singles club records, including a perfect copy of SP23.  I set about 40 records aside and came back the next day with stuff to trade and $70 and walked out with the biggest grab of my life.  In addition to Love Buzz, I got a bunch of New York punk stuff (Ramones, Blondie, Richard Hell) as well as some UK punk (Vibrators, Joy Division promo with a handwritten letter from the manager) and Stiff singles.  What a haul.

My mother bought it for me on eBay about 12yrs ago for $1,200.

previously owned by richard madin from lynnwood, wa – usa, who bought it on ebay from aron’s records in october 2005 and resold it in january 2006

from the previous owner, aron’s records (thanks to tina):
M- Condition
a man brought it in to sell over our trade counter. Some of the records that he brought in along with the Nirvana 7″ were great titles, but we bought them all to get the Nirvana record in particular. The person who sold it to us wasn’t a collector and had bought it when it had originally been released. Outside of that we really don’t know much.

bought on ebay in april 2008 for 2300 us$.
from the previous owner, georgina blair (usa): I bought all of my copies from ebay. I was just spending my whole paycheck each time a love buzz came up. I was wanting to get one from every set of 100, but then the money ran out and I had 5 original copies and about 4 of each of the different fakes. I bought #416 on ebay at around the same time someone emailed me and offered #713 and I bought it for around the same price as #416. A year or so later I bought #170 and #160 then sold them, first #170 ( I offered either one) and later #160.

I was fortunate to acquire this in 1993 out of a classified add in Goldmine magazine. Don’t recall where it came from? Have it nicely framed and proudly displayed.

In the hands of Paradise of Replica store