Rare Beatles Album Sells For Five Figures
A rare edition of the first Beatles album to be released in the United States has just sold for slightly under $15K at auction on eBay. A private collector paid $14,999 for an “Ad-Back” copy of ‘Introducing … the Beatles’ in an auction that ended on July 12.
What makes the album unique is the back cover of the jacket, which featured a full-page advertisement record company Vee-Jay records used after realizing they had 6K front album covers, but no back cover. The ad has 25 records from their label. In the eBay post, the seller stresses that the album is in mint condition, with little to no sign of wear or play.
Legal issues the album faced also add to the lore of the 1964 release. It was intended to be released in July 1963, but came just 10 days before the Beatles next album ‘Meet the Beatles’ was available to fans in America in January 1964. ‘Introducing … the Beatles’ contains well known songs like ‘I Saw Her Standing There,’ ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘P.S. I Love You.’
The album is very similar to the first album the Beatles released in England, except ‘Please, Please Me’ contained two additional songs in the title-track and ‘Ask Me Why.’