This is a rare Australian release with heavily textured gold foil box containing the same 13 LP titles as the UK release (plus a "Rarities" album), some with different cover art (Australian artwork on the covers for "Beatles for Sale" & "With the Beatles"). Apparently this collection was withdrawn when EMI UK did not like the appearance of the gold box.
Another story is that: it is the 1978 Australian 13-LP box set with each LP in it's original issue sleeve with all relevant inserts, all housed in a high quality black text on gold leaf (unique to Australia) 12" textured box. The box was withdrawn due to the fragile nature of the gold leaf covering, leading it to be replaced with the more familiar blue version. A fantastic rare version of this amazing set! PSLP261
The collection is much rarer than the standard blue collections, about on par with the British original "flip-top" blue box. Recent auctions have priced it in the $200~$300 range but these are for box's that are some what battered. My friends collection is in excellent condition (still with the original plastic wrapping) so it's possible that it would fetch even more in an auction. There's even some speculation that this box set could sell for in excess of ₤500.
A couple of recent auctions:
http://collectorsfrenzy.com/Details.aspx?id=220819076452
http://www.popsike.com/The-Beatles-Collection-Gold-Box-Set/160641973538.html
Australian Beatles Rarity Guide:
http://beatlesaustralia.com/RARITY_GUIDE_1b_albums_emi_stereo.html
AllExperts info on Gold Box Collection:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Beatles-386/2009/5/Beatles-Collection-Gold-Box.htm
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Beatles-386/2009/3/Beatle-Box-set.htm
I'll make sure he doesn't sell it! Though I doubt he would anyway.. Wonder what it would be worth in a few decades?
ReplyDeleteIt's anyones guess how much it would be worth in twenty years time but one thing is for sure: it won't be worth less... Perhaps, a mention in the will? :D
ReplyDeletegday. a friend has a completely mint cond gold 13 Lp set. i know for a fact that the albums have not been removed from their covers. two 45s are mint. to me this is as good as finding a 1930 penny in uncirculated cond.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris, you're not wrong about the value of this boxed set. Would you by any chance know when your friend purchased it, and how much it was worth at the time? I'm guessing that you're Oz based...?
ReplyDeleteHi there- this set was issued in the mid 1980's. The blue box issued in the late 70's ( I think about 78 ) if you checked the 3XY Melbourne music chart it would show as the no.1 release at the time. (It was December I think) . Having sold extremely well - and then EMI - perhaps looking at yet again rereleasing some of the catalogue- decided to issue the lavish box set- of which the first 4000 were numbered. It was probably September as I rember them turning up at work -(K-Mart) and waiting.I shifted to Melbourne and at Xmas there was huge train strike on and as such ppl would spend hours on a bus so the city retail plummeted. Post Xmas the price in Myers plummeted from $150 to $75. I bought one- but would have loved to have put a few away. Later I would learn that - EMI UK did not approve of them and consequently when a visiting rep spotted the item there he quizzed them. They told him it was a one off - and then sent reps to city stores to try and hide them. The person who told me that used to be very high up in a leading Melb Import Shop. Cheers Peter
ReplyDeleteI purchased the Beatles Gold Box Set about 1983/84
ReplyDeleteIt was purchased as a spare set just in case the individually purchased LPs went missing or damaged
I found it still in perfect sealed condition stored in the cupboard
I had forgotten about it for decades
Hi, my Dad just reminded me, he was looking at his Gold Boxed Set today & said his number was in the 1900's out of 4000. He said "not that I'd sell it", but wondered what it was worth. I remember we saved up as kids & bought it for his birthday or Christmas. Thanks for the memories upon reading your comments guys. Danny
ReplyDeleteI have 14 albums in my Gold Box Set and mine is numbered 420 out of 4000 how much would it be worth? I live in Canada
ReplyDelete