[Scotlynn]

Came across this Beatles Butcher Cover, but having a hard time figuring out if it's legit, a reissue, a knock off or what. The matrix numbers don't seem to match up well with any of the discogs listings, and being just a casual vinyl collector, figured some of you more experienced folks might be able to help me identify it. Here's what I have:







It does seem to come out of Capital's Pressing Plant 3.



The Side 1 matrix is very faint, but it looks like T1 2553 ??. The Side 2 matrix is much more readable as T2 2553 G4:



The vinyl itself is in excellent condition. One minor surface sleeve scuff, but no scratches or defects. I haven't play tested it yet.

Not sure I'm going to hold onto it, but if I do end up listing it I want to make sure I'm representing it properly, so any help is much appreciated.
Thanks!

[Atlplasma]

That is a potentially valuable rare album. See here: http://www.thebeatlesrarity.com/2011/01/30/collectors-corner-yesterday-and-today-and-the-infamous-butcher-cover/

[Scotlynn]

Thanks for the reply. It might be! Discogs list several versions, including some later unofficial releases that are not that valuable. But this one does look like one of the early ones. Trying to figure out whether it might be a first state or peeled second state, etc.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Wow that's morbid. 
Neat "find" though, I hope it's worth a bunch for ya, please let us know!

Bob

[ArthurDent]

You should get 'professional' feedback once Pumpkinman or vinyl_lady see this. That said it seems to me in the dark past I remember something about that being an original English/British cover release which didn't sit real well, so they changed it for US & subsequent distribution.

[Scotlynn]

.... it seems to me in the dark past I remember something about that being an original English/British cover release which didn't sit real well, so they changed it for US & subsequent distribution.

Yes, I've done some digging and I found out about the history of this Butcher cover. When it was issued in the US in 1966, there was a bit of an uproar, so it was 'recalled" and they issued it with a different cover pasted over. The first issue is referred to the 'first state", the pasted over one is called a "second state." Some folks peeled the paste over to get to the original Butcher cover, and that is referred to as the peeled "third state." But then there have been some reissues over the years that used the original cover. http://www.thebutchercover.com/FAQ.html

The first, second and third states go for a lot of money, the reissues not so much. I think this might be a first state, but am not entirely sure.