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Some 78's are worth some money and others would be doing good to bring fifty cents/each. The main ones that are worth a few dollars and up are blues, R&B, some country, and '50's rock/roll 78's. If they were mine, I'd probably keep them if they belonged to my Grandmother.
As far as playback, the first piece of advice I'll give you is DON'T BUY one of these current production Corsley (or other brand) record players. These are cheap made Chinese junk and even though some of them have 78 rpm speed, they do not come with the proper 78 rpm needle. A stereo LP or 45 requires a .7 mil needle. The much wider groove 78 requires a 3 mil needle. If a 78 is played with an LP needle, the playback will be very noisy and record/stylus damage may result.
For a quick, fairly inexpensive solution; I'd look for an old Newcomb, Audiotronics, or Califone classroom record player. I prefer the older tube models from the '50's and '60's, but any of them with 78 rpm speed should work for you. These models have a flip over style needle with an LP needle on one side and a 78 needle on the other; however, some newer needles have dual LP tips. If in doubt, replace the needle with a known 3 mil 78 needle. You can also play modern LP's and 45's on these classroom players; but, I wouldn't recommend playing a mint or valuable LP/45 on one because the tonearm will be heavy and will wear the record quicker. 78's, however, are a different story. The tonearm on a classroom player is gentle in comparison to what these 78's were originally played on and the classroom palyer shouldn't hurt a 78. For this type of player; check ebay, the local flea market, or your next school board surplus auction.
Another more costly option would be to purchase a turntable with 78 rpm speed, a stereo receiver or amp, speakers, and the proper cartridge for playing 78's. This method can be costly; but, may be worth it if you get into record collecting.
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