The Beatles Collection (BC 13) 1978 US Version Box Set Limited Edition #2374

$

1,300

This is a gorgeous boxed set of the Beatles' UK albums released in the US in November 1978.  Most of the albums in this set were sealed and are still in their open shrinkwrap.  Those albums were only played one time in order to digitize them on a high end audio system.
All records will be shipped outside of their covers in protective inner sleeves to prevent splitting of the covers.  The entire package will be double boxed for protection.
Please see the photos and descriptions below for detailed condition:
   BOX #2374 - VG+     Blue outer covering is splitting along hinge seam at LH & RH sides, which is normal for these 1978 US boxes.  Also has a small hinge tear at left side near limited ed. number (see photos).

   The Beatles BC13 Poster - NM-     White album glossies on a folded 24" x 17" poster included in boxed set

    Please Please Me (PCS 3042) was sealed     [inner sleeve not dated - EMI Important Notice sleeve]      YEX 94-2 2 MM      YEX 95-2 1 RR   Record: NM   Sleeve: NM  Front laminated - in open shrinkwrap with "Imported" sticker
    With the Beatles (PCS 3045) was sealed     [inner sleeve not dated - EMI Important Notice sleeve]      YEX 110-2 4 GRL      YEX 111-4 2 AR   Record: NM   Sleeve: NM  Front laminated - in open shrinkwrap
    A Hard Day's Night (PCS 3058)     [inner sleeve 978]      YEX 126-2 1 GO      YEX 127-2 3 RT   Record: EXC   Sleeve: VG+  Front laminated - slight crease upper right
    Beatles for Sale (PCS 3062) was sealed     [inner sleeve 978]      YEX 142-3 2 OH HTM      YEX 143-2 1 AR   Record: NM   Sleeve: NM  Outer laminated - in open shrinkwrap with "Imported" sticker

    Help! (PCS 3071) was sealed     [inner sleeve not dated - EMI Important Notice sleeve]      YEX 168-2 4 GDD      YEX 169-1 23 GLT   Record: NM   Sleeve: NM  Front laminated - in open shrinkwrap with "Imported" sticker

    Rubber Soul (PCS 3075) was sealed     [inner sleeve 778]      YEX 178-6 1 GD HTM      YEX 179-3 24 GOT   Record: NM   Sleeve: NM  Front laminated - in open shrinkwrap with "Imported" sticker
    Revolver (PCS 7009) was sealed     [inner sleeve not dated - light blue print]      YEX 605-2 2 1 GMT      YEX 606-2 5 1 4 GOA   Record: NM   Sleeve: NM  Front laminated - in open shrinkwrap with "Imported" sticker
    Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (PCS 7027) was sealed     [inner sleeve 578]      YEX 637-3 3 AO HTM      YEX 638-3 5 GMO HTM   Record: NM   Sleeve: NM  Laminated - in open shrinkwrap with "Imported" sticker   Cutouts: NM
    The Beatles (PCS 7067/8) was in open shrink     [inner sleeves both 1078]      YEX 709-1 2 RTT      YEX 710-3 2 TG      YEX 711-1 4 AOO      YEX 712-2 1 AAD   Records: EXC   Sleeve:  VG+  Lamintated & embossed  somewhat faded brown open edge            Upper right and lower corner bumps   Poster:  VG   Glossies: EXC  Lennon has pin hole at top center   Inner sleeves: VG  browned

    Yellow Submarine (PCS 7070) was sealed     [inner sleeve 178]      YEX 715-4 5 PL      YEX 716-2 1 RM HTM   Record: NM   Sleeve  NM  Front laminated and in open shrinkwrap with "Imported" sticker                glued seams have let loose due to the lamination
    Abbey Road (PCS 7088)     [inner sleeve white lined with gold design]      YEX 749-4 2 LD      YEX 750-3 2 RD HTM    Record:  EXC   Sleeve:  VG  Laminated with minor wear and a few creases around perimeter
    Let It Be (PCS 7096)     [inner sleeve not dated - EMI Important Notice sleeve]      YEX 773-3U 27 ARG      YEX 774-3U 7 AHH   Record:  VG   Sleeve:  VG  Laminated sleeve with creases along spine and upper right corner
    Rarities (SPRO-8989)      SPRO-1-8969 F-1 —◁  MASTERED BY CAPITOL  Wally      SPRO2-8969 F-1 —◁  MASTERED BY CAPITOL  Wally   Record: VG   Sleeve: G+  Various marks on sleeve as shown in photos






THE STORY BEHIND THIS BOXED SET:
EMI decided to produce a boxed set of the Beatles' twelve British studio albums, plus one additional record, Rarities, of selected tracks, many of which had never been issued on any U.K. LP before.
The American set, titled The Beatles Collection, was delivered to record stores in mid-December 1978, just in time for Christmas. Suggested list price for the U.S. collection was $132.98, making it the most expensive commercial Beatles item up to that time.  This release marked the first time Capitol Records had ever marketed the Beatles' recordings in their original British formats and the package sold out immediately.
The LPs were encased in a dark blue (with a slight green hue) box with a finer leatherette texture than the UK counterparts and had a fold-open top. The set's title and facsimiles of the Beatles autographs were embossed on the front of the box in gold lettering with a limited edition number printed on the upper left. These US sets were sealed and had a gold foil "LIMITED EDITION" hype sticker on the front and album listing [and Rarities description] on the back.
There were approximately one dozen Number 0001 sets given to Capitol executives.  The exact number of boxes is not known, with reports of 3,000-3,500 cited.  We have photos of box #3012, and a person named "forthlin" on the Steve Hoffman forums reported to have box #3275. 
A poster was prepared and included in the box using the four glossy photos from the "White Album".  The Capitol Records logo, as well as "PRINTED IN U.S.A." and "BC 13" are on the bottom left. 
All albums were pressed on their original labels (EMI/Parlophone or Apple) and with their original catalog numbers. All records were packaged in their original laminated covers [though without the fold-back design] and with their original enclosures (Sgt. Pepper's cut-out sheet, The Beatles four glossies and one poster). The albums were sealed in loose shrink wrap common to many imports to the USA at the time and were a mix-and-match of the common UK pressings from the time period.  A sticker "imported ENGLAND Capitol EMI" was placed on the shrink wrap of each album.  The inner sleeves often have a date such as 10/78 indicating the pressing date of each LP.

The set contained:
 1 - Please Please Me  2 - With The Beatles  3 - A Hard Day's Night  4 - Beatles For Sale  5 - Help!  6 - Rubber Soul  7 - Revolver  8 - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band  9 - The Beatles (White Album) 10 - Yellow Submarine 11 - Abbey Road 12 - Let It Be 13 - Rarities

A “Rarities” album was designed to complement the Beatles’ original twelve UK albums by pulling together many of their single releases not available on British LPs. Unlike Capitol Records in America, British Parlophone rarely duplicated songs issued as singles on later albums.  The British “Rarities” (EMI/Parlophone PSLP 261), consists of seventeen tracks, including the first British release of “Sie Liebt Dich” and “Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand” (“She Loves You” and “I Want To Hold Your Hand” sung in German).
The U.S. “Rarities” (Capitol SPRO 8969) was compiled in Los Angeles.  “Sie Liebt Dich” and “Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand” were replaced with the not-too-rare English versions of “She Loves You” and “I Want To Hold Your Hand.”  Although these replacements have been called "mistakes", in all likelihood, the switch was made because Capitol wanted the collection to include the standard English versions of these huge hits, which were not on any of the British albums included in the box set.  It also contained the first American release of the original version of “Across the Universe.”
Copies of the Rarities promo were sent to journalists, along with a Capitol Records letter dated Dec. 13, 1978 and signed by Maureen L. O'Connor (East Coast Press & Artist Relations Manager) and Doreen D'Agostino (East Coast Press & Artist Relations Coordinator).  It stated "Dear Journalist, Enclosed is the "Beatles Rarities" lp that was part of the 13-record Beatles Gift Box Set in the stores.  We've enclosed a list of the difference we've noticed in the lp. Enjoy!"
In addition to placing the album in the box set "The Beatles Collection" Capitol BC-13 (Only 3,000 copies / some sources say 3,300), Capitol pressed 2,000 copies of Rarities on the purple dome label for promotional purposes.  This is perhaps THE rarest true issue Beatles Lp ever released. Much rarer than a Butcher cover (of which there are hundreds of thousands).  In 1979 a further 50 copies were pressed on the Aqua dome label under the number SN-12009, prepared as a budget line label release scheduled for October 1979, ultimately with no cover being prepared as the release was cancelled.
All tracks MONO except where noted:
Across The Universe [original National Wildlife Foundation version- STEREO] Yes It Is This Boy The Inner Light [single never appearing on an LP] I'll Get You Thank You Girl [no harmonica] I Want To Hold Your Hand - [DUOPHONIC of UK mono single] You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) [single never appearing on an LP] She Loves You - [DUOPHONIC of UK mono single] Rain She's A Woman Matchbox I Call Your Name Bad Boy [STEREO] Slow Down I'm Down [single never appearing on an LP] Long Tall Sally

The Rarities album was later reassembled and released March 24, 1980 as Rarities (SHAL-12060) with a selection of fifteen tracks that were either 1) never released by Capitol Records before, 2) alternate takes and mixes never available in the United States before, or 3) tracks never issued on an American album until now.