Between January, 1964, and May, 1971, a number of Canadian Beatles 45 RPM were released in a picture sleeve. Capitol Canada usually released the initial 5000 discs pressed in a picture sleeve, MGM provided sleeves for perhaps the first 2000 and Atco the first 500. All sleeves were imported from the U.S. and for Capitol and Apple releases all picture sleeves were east coast versions with a straight cut opening at the top.
Canadian Beatles' 45 RPM with U.S. imported picture sleeves:
- Capitol 5112 "I Want To Hold Your hand"
- MGM 13227X "Why / Cry For A Shadow"
- Atco 6038 "Ain't She Sweet / Nobody's Child"
- Capitol 5222 "A Hard Day's Night"
- Capitol 5235 "And I Love her"
- Capitol 5255 "Matchbox / Slow Down"
- Capitol 5327 "I Feel Fine / She's A Woman"
- Capitol 5371 "Eight Days A Week"
- Capitol 5407 "Ticket To Ride / Yes It Is"
- Capitol 5476 "Help / I'm Down
- Capitol 5498 "Yesterday / Act Naturally"
- Capitol 5555 "We Can Work It Out"
- Capitol 5587 "Nowhere Man / What Goes On"
- Capitol 5651 "Paperback Writer / Rain"
- Capitol 5715 "Yellow Submarine"
- Capitol 5810 "Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields"
- Capitol 5964 "All You Need Is Love"
- Capitol 2056 "Hello Goodbye"
- Capitol 2138 "Lady Madonna / The Inner Light"
- Apple 2531 "Ballad Of John and Yoko"
- Apple 2764 "Let It Be"
- Apple 2832 "Long And Winding Road"
Picture sleeve are highly collectible. In VG+ condition Capitol sleeves sell in the $25 to $40 range, Apple sleeves in the $12 to $40 range, Atco sleeves in the $40 to $60 range and MGM sleeves $80 to $100. Near mint sleeves range from $60 to $500.
As these are all U.S. manufactured sleeves issued on U.S. releases they are relatively easy to locate. However, they are a popular Beatles' collectible so the Canadian collector is competing against the U.S. collector. As a result expect to pay $100 to $170 or more for a NM copy of most sleeves with "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "Nowhere Man", "Let it Be" and "All You Need Is Love" slightly lower. In excellent or better condition expect to pay $150 to $220 for the Atco sleeve and for the MGM sleeve closer to $400.
All Capitol, Vee Jay, Swan, Atco, MGM and some Apple picture sleeves have been counterfeited (faked) in varying qualities and a large number of "fake or fantasy" sleeves exist. Buyer beware!
As these are all U.S. manufactured sleeves issued on U.S. releases they are relatively easy to locate. However, they are a popular Beatles' collectible so the Canadian collector is competing against the U.S. collector. As a result expect to pay $100 to $170 or more for a NM copy of most sleeves with "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "Nowhere Man", "Let it Be" and "All You Need Is Love" slightly lower. In excellent or better condition expect to pay $150 to $220 for the Atco sleeve and for the MGM sleeve closer to $400.
All Capitol, Vee Jay, Swan, Atco, MGM and some Apple picture sleeves have been counterfeited (faked) in varying qualities and a large number of "fake or fantasy" sleeves exist. Buyer beware!
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Above is a quality reproduction (fake) VJ sleeve that cleverly shows handling wear at the top opening and an added 93 cent Woolworths' price sticker that adds authenticity. All U.S. sleeves used on original Canadian Beatles' issues were the east coast, straight cut top variety. Most reproduction sleeves are copies the east coast variety. Below is a rare example of a poor quality reproduction of a U.S. west coast sleeve with the "thumb tab" opening.  Below is a very convincing but "fake or fantasy" sleeve for Capitol Canada 72144 "All My Loving" produced in the 1980's that occasionally appears on eBay. The sleeve never existed. Below that is another "fake or fantasy" sleeve based on the U.S. Vee Jay Christmas sleeve and sold as a Canadian issue with a Canadian pressed, genuine "Can't Buy Me Love". Again, Buyer beware!
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