Original "green arrow" cd's from West Germany on Mercury

Yeah, it took me eight months to come up with a response. <-- SMILEY!

 

Just WOW! So far ABC was one of the hardest to find in the collection. My congratulation

 

What about CDs that were manufactured in West Germany in 1985-1986 that don't have a green arrow? Such as all the Dire Straits CDs on Polygram label ?

Are they considered good quality?

 

The Mercury Green Arrow CDs are considered rare due to their percieved scarcity. Musically, I wouldn't think the quality of the Green Arrows are any better or worse than the the later 85-86 pressings. Honestly, I only own one Green Arrow CD and I haven't compared it to any other pressing of the same CD to see if there is a difference.

 

Yes, it's a collector's thing rather than superior SQ.

 

Perceived scarcity? They aren't common. Period. Are some worth north of $150? I don't believe so, but if two or three bidders in the entire world "must" have it, then the eBay close will get silly. I'm comfortable with $85 for strong Exc condition, so that's why my collection of these remains under 10 (of the 20).

 

Just curious, has anyone come close to putting together the whole 20 of these?

I am stuck on 11.

 

I have 5 including Van M and the Boomtown Rats.
I could have picked up Rush Signals at a record fair a few years ago, but it was scratched to death. So I passed on it. Maybe I should have bought it and buffed it.

 

How much was it?

I have a few rare discs that are a bit tatty

 

It's a collector thing. It's about the paint job. Musically, the green-arrow pressing of Moving Pictures is less desirable than 02, 03, etc. matrix-code atomic pressings due to the chopped beginning of "Tom Sawyer".

If you ever wondered what was driving these prices, consider this: People paying $150 and more for Demis Roussos. Before becoming aware of green-arrow pressings, I'm willing to bet that the people paying those prices had never heard of Demis Roussos. Now that they have the disc, they probably still haven't actually heard him. It's not about the music.

If you can find it, you can spend $300+ for the green-arrow pressing of Rush Signals. However, you can readily find the West German atomic pressing with the same matrix code, meaning made from the same glass master, for $15.

 

I'm sure they had heard the name - but they almost certainly had never owned any of his albums. He's an artist I have always avoided.

 

The prices for "green-arrow" CDs are now much less, than a two years ago. Moreover, a many of "green-arrow" titles is listed on an auction than before.

Personally, I don't have "green-arrow" discs in my collection but I like to watch on them on the picture These are really old pressing discs that always give me a real view of 1982/1983 first CD releases.

 

Hi Keith,

I was fortunate to pick up about half of my green arrows ( including Demis ) for less than $30, but that was before they became one of the hot items to collect.

I cannot bring myself ( and my wife won't allow me ) to spend more than $100 for a disc that I will listen to occasionally (meaning I will actually play it), and about $60 for one that I will almost never play

I am never going to get all 20 of these

 

I remember him, but would never listen to him.

 

I first heard of Demis Roussos in Bowie's "Jazzin' for Blue Jean" long-form video. His character tries to sneak into a club and claims to be a name on a guest list - he points and randomly picks "Demis Roussos". I had no idea who that was - and with no Internet in 1984, I didn't know for years. I figured he was the Greek prime minister!

 

It depresses me that I own no "green arrows", but I console myself with the knowledge that at least I NEVER owned any. I'd be more depressed if I'd owned some in the mid-80s but dumped them. I never owned any of the albums available as "green arrows", so couldn't have done that...

 

I'm a serious collector, but I have a hard time justifying $150+ for a CD just for the paint. Then you look at some of the artists/albums. Demis Roussos? The Boomtown Rats? Abracadabra? Really?

 

It depends where you look. This guy didn't get the memo:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VAN-MORRISO...150919326394?pt=Music_CDs&hash=item23237e2aba

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Boomtow...150917747118?pt=Music_CDs&hash=item23236611ae

 

These are desireable because they are rare and a novelty - you know you would have them if they were going for sensible money.

I have a copy of Pink Floyd 35DP-4 WYWH that I picked up in the bins. The matrix on this is 71A10, and it is a bit scratched . Now I would love to have a pristine gold tint 1A1, but I will never fork out anything like $1000.

 

Although the condition is only fair, I expected this rarity to go for more:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/160895753633?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

I have 19 of them .

 

I congratulate! Serious application for a victory.
What CD at you doesn't suffice?

 

Theres nothing wrong with The Boomtown Rats. A great and very credible new wave band in their day.
I see you have 3 different versions of Bananarama's second CD release. Nuff said?

 

Not nearly "nuff said".

I'm not going to pay $300 for the Boomtown Rats. When people do, let's not pretend it's about a "very credible new wave band in their day". It's obviously about the rarity and the disc design. Please.

The three Bananarama discs cost me less than $20.

 

It was the "then you look at some of the artists/albums" bit that confused me. Ok, The Rats weren't big in The States, but for a while they were the highest profile new wave/punk band in Europe. Demis Roussos has his fan base too, and was huge in Europe too.
Every act on a green arrow CD is worthy of being collected in my opinion.