Introducing The Beatles LP Vee-Jay Records USA

	A$		95
	$		63

Introducing The Beatles~VeeJay Records~VJLP 1062 I guess its up for debate...as to which Beatles recording draws the most interest...but these old Vee Jay Introducing The Beatles Albums are up there with the most interesting. I've included the background on these albums (as most are counterfeit...and based on the law of averages...this one is most likely in that group...but I honestly don't know...so I've included all the details). As a follow up..after doing plenty of checking...and thanks to a kind input as posted below..its looking more & more that this is a genuine copy. Its interesting...that one of the criteria for a genuine cover (and if genuine...they are worth hundreds...just covers alone!!)..is a small overlap..when looking from inside...and this one is exactly that. It also has a deeper colour and better gloss than my other copies..plus George's shadow and Paul's hands feature nicely...and the cover is very sharp (as opposed to obvious fake's...where the lads outlines are blurred). This suggestion is totally unqualified..but I'd suggest..there is a good chance that the cover on this one is genuine...but with a counterfeit record (maybe its been mixed up over the years?) Its in very good condition...with a small split on the seams (maybe other people checking the inside overlaps?)....and some light surface marks on the vinyl. It plays and sounds great...with very good audio quality. The vinyl is very clean (with a couple of very light surface marks). The cover has a very nice gloss and is grading VG+ (with a small split on the top and bottom seams).     FREE POSTAL INSURANCE included.

 

 

Mono - LP 1062
A Comprehensive Discography
& Price Guide for VJLP-1062

By Perry Cox, Robert York, Mitch McGeary and Bruce Spizer
Revised August 2000. © 1995-2001 All rights reserved Stereo - SR 1062

The worlds most counterfeited album

Welcome to our Vee-Jay Introducing The Beatles page. It seems almost every copy of this album that turns up is a fake, due to the fact that several different companies in the 60s and through the 70s manufactured an endless array of different counterfeit versions. Add those to the more than 30 different authentic versions that VJ managed to produce in 1963 and 1964, and you have quite a complicated situation for collectors and historians. More variations of this album exist than perhaps any record every issued by any artist. It is the most frequently asked about LP on the Internet, and probably causes the most confusion for collectors of any Beatles album ever released. Some of these fakes are remarkably close to the originals, with the quality of some covers even equaling or exceeding that of originals, making them a little harder to authenticate. Fortunately, there are easily identifiable clues in most cases, which we will cover thoroughly.

This Reference Guide was made to help both the novice and the experienced collector identify and authenticate copies of Introducing The Beatles, including both real and counterfeit issues, and to determine their rarity and value. We welcome any comments, suggestions, additions, and/or corrections for this page.

The values given are for records in VG+ condition. Records in true Near Mint to Mint condition, which are very difficult to find, would in most cases command noticeably higher prices. Both the discs AND the jackets need to be checked for variations and authenticity. We have found, like with other records, that discs and jackets get mixed up, intentional or otherwise. Also, many mono discs were incorrectly issued from the factory with stereo labels, so check the trail-off area for an "S" suffix to the master number, and/or play the record for stereo vs. mono sound.

The Number listed is the new unique reference number assigned to all variations and releases for Bruce Spizer's VJ book and Perry Cox's upcoming Beatles 4th edition Price Guide. These numbers will be used by many collectors to help identify and classify the endless array of variations and will most likely be used on sales lists as well.

New Guide numbering system:  M = mono,   S = stereo,   C = cover,   R = record (disc)
On the first example below, VJ 1062 (1).MC1 would read as:
"VJ 1062, version (1), mono cover, variation 1"

"LP/M" refers to the words "LONGPLAYING" and "MICROGROOVE", which appear on some of the labels.

Album History and Counterfeit detection

Perhaps the most distinctive component in the history of Beatles records is the album Introducing The Beatles (Vee-Jay VJLP/SR-1062). This eccentric LP is distinctive on many fronts, not the least of which is that its dozen tracks have proliferated into over two dozen subsequent albums and singles.

This early 1964 product of Chicago's Vee-Jay label competed heartily in the marketplace, right along with the big boys over at Capitol. As a small, independent company with a big hit record on their hands, Vee-Jay and their vendors labored around the clock to meet the enormous demand for this LP. Although a huge seller, its sales life was cut short by litigation with Capitol. Unable to endure costly legal battles, Vee-Jay reached a settlement with Capitol under which its rights to all of its Beatles recordings were turned over to Capitol on October 15, 1964.

Not surprisingly, most of the world's rare and valuable records, including Introducing the Beatles, have been counterfeited -numerous times and in a myriad of variations. It is probably the most counterfeited record in history, and deserving of consideration for a gold or platinum award in the category: Rock Album Most Frequently Faked.

With so many different bogus copies floating around, perhaps we should begin by giving a precise description of the original album. Knowing how to spot an original is one of the best weapons against getting stuck with a pretender.

The first issue covers were manufactured in Chicago by the offset printing firm Coburn & Company just after July 23rd 1963. This company printed up the first 6000 front slicks and back liner notes. These 6000 are the only cover slicks that say "Printed in U.S.A" on the front cover, vertically from the bottom left corner along the spine. Later covers were printed by Ivy Hill Lithograph Co. at their New York and California locations. All original covers have a glossy coated paper stock, both front and back. If either the front or the back cover is flat (lacking gloss) it's a counterfeit.

Although color shades do vary on originals, the printing of the photo and text is always very sharp and clear. Any with poor quality printing are probably counterfeits. All legitimate covers are made using varying shades of gray or tan cardboard, with the printed front and back slicks bonded on them. All original covers we have seen have a 1/4" overlap of cardboard at the top and bottom of the inside cover. This check can only be made by viewing the inside of the cover at the top and at the bottom. On most fakes, these overlaps are either much larger than 1/4", or there is no flap at all. The California plant made a small quantity of original monaural covers that have no flap at all, but they still have the glossy back cover slick as well as high quality printing. Also, these come with an authentic disc inside, yet another way to help determine originality.

A few counterfeits do have covers with high quality printing, but their overall construction and/or disc quality are noticeably imperfect.

While it is very helpful to have a known original on hand for comparison, few folks have that luxury. When this is not possible, use the following checklist to make a determination regarding authenticity.

Some of the more common characteristics found on COUNTERFEIT COVERS:

• Covers with a brown border around the front cover photo are fakes.
• Covers with a bright yellow tint and the word "STEREO" printed in black at the upper left are fakes.
• Covers without George Harrison's shadow-visible to his right of where he stands, near the edge are fakes.
• Covers with red, blue, and yellow dots, unmistakable under the top of the back cover, are fakes. The dots are used by the printers during the printing process. On originals, the dots are in a different area and are not normally visible. (This fake is of particular importance due to the high quality of the front cover photo. For that reason, this cover has fooled many a collector. Look for the dots! Fake covers are almost always accompanied by a fake disc.)
• Covers for the stereo issue that list Love Me Do and P. S. I Love You, among the two columns of tracks on the back, are almost always fakes. Only a couple of authentic copies of these versions are known to exist.
• If either the front or the back cover is flat (lacking gloss) it's is a counterfeit.

Some of the more common characteristics found on COUNTERFEIT DISCS:

• Any labels with flat textured rainbow/colorband labels are fakes.
• Labels that have "THE BEATLES" and "INTRODUCING The BEATLES" separated by the center hole are fakes.
• If the width of the vinyl trail-off -the gap between the end of the last track and the edge of the label is greater than one inch, you have a fake.
• Any copy with black labels that do not have the rainbow colorband, that are printed on glossy paper stock, are fakes.
• Copies with rainbow/colorband labels that have faint print and/or weak color brightness and a lack of clarity are fakes.

Some of the more common characteristics found on ORIGINAL COVERS:

• Covers-front and back-must have slicks that are either glossy or semi-glossy.
• Printing on covers must be of high quality and professional looking.
• Back cover lists contents in two columns
• Stereo copies must meet one of the following conditions: 1. Back cover pictures 25 color photos of other Vee-Jay albums. This copy is commonly known as the "Ad Back" cover. 2. Back cover is totally blank; a completely white slick with no print whatsoever. 3. Back cover lists content in two columns, almost always containing Please Please Me and Ask Me Why. Only a couple of original copies have been verified listing Love Me Do / P.S. I Love You.

Some of the more common characteristics found on ORIGINAL DISCS:

• Labels have "THE BEATLES" and the title "INTRODUCING THE BEATLES" above the center hole.
• Only gloss or semi-gloss rainbow/colorband labels are used on originals.
• All original labels have bright, sharp silver print.
• The vinyl trail-off -the gap between the end of the last track and the edge of the label usually measures from 7/8" to 1" wide, but never greater.
• The rainbow/colorband that circles the perimeter of an original label is of high resolution, with smooth, gradual changes in color.
• The vinyl trail-off area on over 90% of all originals has one or more of the following mechanical Stampings: 1. The term "AudioMatrix." 2. The letters "MR" inside of a circle. 3. The letters "APP" in italics. Among originals, only those made in Santa Monica lack machine Stampings. Regardless, these still have the aforementioned bright silver print and glossy labels. To date, we have never seen a counterfeit copy with machine stamping in the trail-off area.
• We have never found a counterfeit with the word "STEREO" printed on the label.
• Any copy with "STEREO" printed on the label is more than likely an original.
• All originals with black labels that do not have the rainbow colorband are printed on a flat-not glossy-paper stock.
• Any item under scrutiny must measure up in all the above areas of originality testing. If either the cover, disc or label fails even one criterion of the test, then it is likely from that secluded, middle Eastern country: Itsa Faykuh!

Original Inner Sleeves
The color inner sleeves have one of the following headers on either side:

"THE GREAT GOSPEL ARTISTS ARE ON VJ"

"OTHER FINE ALBUMS OF SIGNIFICANT INTEREST"

Vee-Jay used three different inner protective disc sleeves:

Plain white sleeve This is the most common sleeve used on Introducing The Beatles. White background sleeve White background with 25 color photos of other albums on the Vee-Jay record label on each side of the sleeve. Issued with some original copies of Introducing The Beatles. One side of the sleeve used the same 25 mini photos as the "Ad-Back" LP. Red background sleeve Red background with 25 color photos of other albums on the Vee-Jay record label on each side of the sleeve. This style was NOT used with any copies of Introducing The Beatles lps as they were printed and shipped after VeeJay discontinued pressing this lp. This sleeve was shipped on Oct. 22, 1964.

Counterfeit Examples All-black label, brackets logo, version 1 songs Black colorband label, brackets logo, version 1 songs Back of jacket, version 1 songs
(paper stock is flat, not semi-gloss or glossy)

 

.

Over the next few weeks..I will be putting up for auction..the more collectable of my Beatles collection. Postage discounts will be offered for consignments WITH FULL REGISTRATION AND INSURANCE INCLUDED FREE OF CHARGE.

Postage of up to 3 LPS...anywhere in Australia for $12 (including full registration and insurance). Postage discounts OFFERED TO OVERSEAS BIDDERS...with up to 3 LPS being posted anywhere overseas for $25 AUD (including registration and insurance).

If you are the winning bidder on one of the first lots...please feel free to delay payment...as there will be some exciting lots put on offer..over the coming weeks and I'd prefer that your items be dispatched in full registered consignments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Certain images/photos are the copyrighted property of JupiterImages and are used with permission under license.