Rare 45rpm picture sleeves

Here's a rare Beatles sleeve from my collection.

 

The Leave My Kitten Alone sleeve was at one time very rare - it sold for $400.00 to $500.00. However, that all changed in 1995 when Rockaway Records purchased one thousand of them from a former Capitol employee who saved them from being scrapped. Originally this employee was letting a few go at a time and that was the reason for the high prices. One he got tired of piece mealing the sleeves, he sold the whole lot to Wayne & Gary at Rockaway. These go for between $25 and $40 nowadays. Regardless, it still is a nice sleeve and I am glad to say I own one of these beauties also.

 

Here are a few of my rarer ones. Not including the unreleased "Heroes and Villains" Capitol sleeve, this is the Beach Boys rarest sleeve...

 

The 2nd rarest...

 

The rarest Monkees sleeve...

 

Another cool, rare Beach Boys sleeve...

 

One of the coolest Stones' sleeves...

 

Couldn't find "Surf City" but how about "Drag City"?

 

Yes, it's the infamous "The Beatles Play The Residents Play and The Residents Play The Beatles" sleeve.
Side A: Beyond the Valley of a Day in the Life (The Beatles played by The Residents)
Side B: Flying (The Residents play The Beatles)
Ralph Records RR0577 Copy #146/500
I also have a copy of the "Meet The Residents" original LP in the "sueable" cover.

 

This is actually a pretty good "BROOOCE" parody 45!

 

Tim,

I remember seeing the "Alone" PS countless times at swap meets and in Goldmine ads; I upgraded my own twice when a better copy came along. I'm sure your sources are very qualified, probably more so than myself, but I spent years scouring southern California for Rick sleeves, and that "Dragon" was so rare that many dealers questioned whether it even existed!

 

Thanks Tim, for clearing up 35 years of confusion.

Wow. That was my next scan.

 

What year did this come out? I have "Beyond the Valley" on a Beatles bootleg although I could tell it was nothing the Beatles ever did.

 

This single was released in May 1977. You can tell the release dates on the Ralph Records material because the catalogue number was the date. This 45 was RR 0577. It was a limited hand-numbered edition of 500 copies.

Cheers,
Chris

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Although it just duplicates the LP cover here's one you don't see often

 

That's funny! Out of ALL the possibilities there are!

Here's what NOT to do to your rare 45 sleeves.

Look MA...Now you can read the label!

 

Here's a Mitch Ryder sleeve. Notice the "bb" hole (that goes thru the label too) in Mr. Levine's cranium!

 

Yikes! That actually sounds like a good idea for a funny new thread. I have a few of those "doesn't it look better now" examples...

 

If you start it...They will come!

I have a early Beatles sleeve that was pushed thru around the center, ruining any value of course. The writing and arrows around their heads doesn't help either...jeesh!

 

Same as the Lp cover. Mitch's grimace must have come after he realized that was the last great record he'd ever make . All downhill after that, though Detroit wasn't too bad...but "What Now My Love"? Poor, poor Mr. Ryder....

ED

 

That Mitch Ryder sleeve is different than my version of the same sleeve! I have it with a black strip at the top with the writing mostly in white, which is the way I've always seen it through the years. It has the same photo, though. Another variation to add to the guides....

 

No problem! I like to hear stories like this, because it enables me to get a more true picture of "what's out there." Again, you're not the first person to mention how hard this sleeve has been to find.

 

Tim,

What's the going price for that "Mother" PS? I have a copy, but the price seems to have a wide range. I would have guessed around $100, given its scarcity.

ED

 

My latest price guide has $120 on it for a near-mint copy. Of course, your mileage may vary.