Bluecat Vinyl - Rare Records

Label Formats - The Beatles - Please Please Me

2006-11-04T07:54:00.000-08:00

Please Please Me - PCS 3042 (Stereo) / PMC 1202 (MONO)

Black & Gold Parlophone Label - 1963

To any Beatles collector, of critical importance is the label. Before you buy any Beatles record, you must examine the label to ensure it's authenticity. It has to have the right credentials. And of course, the condition is also all important.

In general, the 1st and 2nd pressings have the Black & Gold Parlophone label. The 3rd, 4th, 5th (1964), 6th (1965) and 7th (1968) pressings have the Yellow & Black Parlophone label. The later re-pressings from 1969 have Black & Silver labels with the EMI boxed logo.

So, if you are being presented with a Yellow & Black Parlophone label, and the seller is telling you it's a 1st pressing, you can politely correct them. It could indeed be a very "early" 3rd or 4th pressing, for example, as denoted by the stamper matrix numbers (don't worry this will be covered in a leter post), but it certainly won't be a first pressing.

The best place to start is with what is generally considered to be the Holy Grail of Beatles vinyl: The first album 'Please Please Me' with the Black & Gold Parlophone label in Stereo.

In mint condition, this item (in STEREO) will range in value from around £3,000 to £10,000 depending on condition and rarity. The MONO version follows closely behind at around £750 upwards. There are several various versions of Please Please Me which I will get to, but this will hopefully serve as an introduction.

Now if it's your lucky day and you happen to see a 'Black & Gold' label Please Please Me (in any condition) at a car boot sale or in a second hand shop (unlikely), my advice would be to buy it immediately and without hesitation. They are scarce and becoming harder to find every day which makes them an appreciating investment set to rise year on year into the future. Pretty obvious really, as one thing is certain: they definitely won't increase in quantity.

FIRST PRESSING

Please Please Me was released in the UK on 22nd March, 1963. The main difference between the 1st and 2nd pressings is the music publishing credits. The more sought after 1st pressings have the Dick James Music Co. Publishing credits and generally achieve a higher price than the 2nd pressings with Northern Songs credits.

Please Please Me (1963) - PCS 3042 - STEREO

Notice the rim text begins with "The Parlophone Co Ltd.." Also, the early First Pressings have Dick James Mus. Co. credits.

Please Please Me (1963) - PMC 1202 - MONO

Note the embossed MT Tax stamp in the centre near the spindle hole.

THIRD PRESSING - YELLOW & BLACK

This next label pic clearly shows the difference between the Black & Gold and Yellow & Black Parlophone labels. They are two completely different designs. Notice there is still no date shown on the 3rd press label. This lack of date is an important distinction between the 3rd and 4th pressings, as we will see.

3rd PRESSING - YELLOW & BLACK PARLOPHONE

SIXTH PRESSING - YELLOW & BLACK

Here we see (in the label pic below) some differences in the label text on the later 6th Pressing Yellow & Black. Most notably, we now have "THE GRAMOPHONE CO LTD..." rim text and also the "SOLD IN UK..." text. (Note: All previous pressings from 1st to 5th all have "The Parlophone Co.. rim text)

6th PRESSING - YELLOW & BLACK PARLOPHONE (1965)

Collecting Beatles Records - A Beginners Guide

2006-11-04T03:41:00.000-08:00

Introduction

For the beginner, collecting Beatles records can be a bit of a minefield if you don't know what to look out for. But with a little patience you can get to know your way around the important points fairly quickly. Especially if you keep reading this blog :^)

An interesting point to bear in mind is that, despite the mass production of records produced since the 1950's and 60's onwards, no two records will ever be identical. It is a somewhat human trait, that every single record that was produced is in fact different. They all have their own charecteristics, quirks and personality, both in terms of the particular batch number and of course the condition the records now find themselves in.

Even if you compare two seemingly identical records produced from the same batch, both in absolute MINT condition (i.e. never been played, and in the same NEW condition they were when they left the factory) you will still find differences. They all have their own charecteristics, just as identical human twins do. It's one of the things I like most about collecting Beatles (and other artists') records.

You might think that this makes the business of collecting even more complicated. To an extent, you would be right, but don't let that deter you. There are price guides available that contain the basics which help keep you on the right track. The guide I personally use and would thoroughly recommend to you is the 'Record Collector Rare Record Price Guide'. It is very comprehensive and generally considered to be the industry standard. If you're serious about collecting records, then this really is essential. The latest updated 2008 version has been fully revised and is available now from Amazon at an excellent price:

The guide includes a comprehensive Beatles section with details on all pressings and label formats etc. Which brings me nicely on to the next post relating to LABEL Formats.

Rare Record Collecting

2006-11-02T01:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the bluecat vinyl rare records blog. My intention here is to offer a discussion point about collecting rare vinyl records, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned veteran. I would consider myself to be somewhere in between.

So if you have any stories, tips or advice relating to vinyl then please share it with us, we'd love to hear from you.

I'm going to start by putting together some nougats of information on my knowledge and experience of collecting Beatles records and to try and colate some kind of meaningful reference point.