# Are gold/platinum records real records? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 26, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783 "2010-05-26T02:24:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/1 "2010-05-26T02:24:27Z")
You know, the [official](http://www.encorecollectibles.com/images%5Cmadonna-blue.jpg) [awards](http://www.encorecollectibles.com/images%5Cacdcflyp.jpg) that the RIAA hands out. They certainly look like real records. Can they be played? Are they actual one-off printings of the album? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/2 "2010-05-26T09:41:13Z")
[Wikipedia says:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_record) “The plaques themselves contain various items under the glass. Modern awards often use CDs instead of records. Most gold and platinum records are actually vinyl records dipped (or otherwise coated) in fine metallic paint, while trimmed and plated metal “masters”, “mothers”, or “stampers” (metal parts used for pressing records out of vinyl) were initially used. \*\*Rarely does the groove on the record match the actual recording being awarded. \*\*Individual plaque-makers produced their awards according to available materials and individual techniques employed by their graphic arts departments. The plaques, depending on size and elaborateness of design, cost anywhere between US$135 and $275, most often ordered and purchased by the record label that issued the original recording.” However, there is no cite, and the [RIAA site](http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=making_the_awards) doesn’t go into detail about the manufacturing process. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/3 "2010-05-26T09:47:07Z")
Oh, to answer your question: Yes, they are real records, painted gold, and then stamped with the groove. The groove that is stamped is rarely the same record that the award is given for. Depending on the weight of the paint and the strength of the player, I would assume that they are certainly playable. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/4 "2010-05-26T10:08:21Z")
Bob Shane, the leader singer for the Kingston Trio, once played his gold record for Tom Dooley after it fell off the presentation board. What came out was Dean Martin singing _Volare_. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/5 "2010-05-26T13:43:50Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Bob Shane, the leader singer for the Kingston Trio, once played his gold record for Tom Dooley after it fell off the presentation board. What came out was Dean Martin singing _Volare_. David Crosby tells a similar story. IIRC, when he was in the depths of his freebase addiction, he sold one of his gold records. Before doing so, he decided to try playing it, and it was Mantovani or something. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/6 "2010-05-26T13:47:05Z")
[Mark and Brian](http://www.markandbrian.com/Article.asp?id=1325705&spid=16121) did that on their morning show a few years back. KLOS radio had a bunch of gold records hanging around the office, so they played one. Totally different than the label. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/7 "2010-05-26T13:57:09Z")
Its true. The music industry IS filled with jerks. I can see them not being real, but dayum, if they are “real” you’d think someone could actually go to the trouble of stamping the right recording on em. Makes me wonder what actually ended up on those Pioneer recordings. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/8 "2010-05-26T14:06:29Z")
Opps, or was it the Voyager recordings? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/9 "2010-05-26T14:22:31Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I can see them not being real, but dayum, if they are “real” you’d think someone could actually go to the trouble of stamping the right recording on em. My guess is they order in bulk. The RIAA or whoever orders, say, 1,000 gold and 500 plainum discs at a time. The “plaque-maker” calls a wholesaler and gets 1,500 CD’s to repaint. It doesn’t matter what had been recorded on the CD (or vinyl disc). Then the RIAA doels them as needed – 50 for this song, 200 for that one, etc. The final touch is to duplicate the original recording’s label and slap it on the disc. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/10 "2010-05-26T14:37:53Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > My guess is they order in bulk… Oh, I get it. It does seem a bit cheesy though. I’d rather recieve a blank record that doesnt play that looks real rather some random song though. Its kinda an artisitic equivalent of getting an award plaque that has someone elses name on it. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/11 "2010-05-26T14:39:17Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Opps, or was it the Voyager recordings? The Voyager disk is a recording of ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ by Sinatra. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/12 "2010-05-26T14:51:16Z")
“Her name was V’ger, She was a space probe…” This thread crushed two myths… not gold, not the actual pressing. Bah. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/13 "2010-05-26T14:55:05Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > “Her name was V’ger, > She was a space probe…” There were magnetic fields everywhere, Anndddd cosmic dust in the air… ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/14 "2010-05-26T15:22:30Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Bob Shane, the leader singer for the Kingston Trio, once played his gold record for Tom Dooley after it fell off the presentation board. What came out was Dean Martin singing _Volare_. Did he hang down his head? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gold-platinum-records-real-records/540783/15 "2010-05-26T17:41:20Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > This thread crushed two myths… not gold, not the actual pressing. Bah. I was rather surprised they used real records though. It may be possible that the record under the paint is the real one.