Interesting non USA/UK import records that made their way to Canada.

Since the beginning of Beatlemania, many foreign non USA/UK records have found their way to Canada.  Most arrived as legitimate "imports" while others came in a different manner. 

In 1963 a few Tony Sheridan records were available as imports in Canada.  These are rare finds and the few copies I am aware of were located in eastern Canada.

    
By late 1964 and certainly by 1965 the Beatles had enough top ten material for a "Greatest Hits" L.P.  However, it was late 1966 before Parlophone released "A Collection of Beatles Oldies" which was imported into Canada  

One L.P. that filled the gap was "The Beatles' Greatest" released on the German Odeon label.  This mid 1965 release was imported into Canada and sold in record stores across the country through 1966.  The 1965 release has rim text that begins with "Alle" while the rim text on the 1966 issue begins with "Urheber". This album sold well so both records are a common find in Canada.

Another L.P. "The Original Greatest Hits" was an unofficial release and is recognized as the first Beatles bootleg.  This U.S. L.P. appeared in late 1964 and could be found for a brief time in  independent record stores and discount stores.  The word "Beatles" does not appear on the cover, but the graphics indicate what the content might be.  This was the Beatles singing rather than a sound alike band.  To make that clear some copies can be found with "Sung By The Beatles" stamped on the back cover. Interestingly the version of "Love Me Do" on this album was dubbed from the Canadian 45 which featuring Ringo on drums. 

In the 1960's thousands of Canadian military personnel and their families were stationed on bases in Germany as part of NATO commitments.  Many of these families shopped at the base store, which was often an American "PX".  The "PX" stocked a number of German Beatles LP's that were unique pressings.  When servicemen and their families returned to Canada these LP's came with them.  While rare they can occasionally be found. Of these "PX" LP's "The Beatles Second Album" is the rarest. 

Other German LP's sold in the "PX" with unique song listings, covers, labels or pressing numbers include "Something New" and "Revolver".  

By the mid 1970's Beatles imports from the UK, France, Germany Holland and Japan could be found in most record stores.  By the mid 1980's vinyl records and flexi discs from the Soviet Union and flexi discs and postcard records from Poland made an appearance in Canadian independent record shops.

Russian Hard Day's Night and flexi disc E.P.'s

Polish Sgt. Pepper postcard record

Japanese vinyl has always been popular with Canadians due to the belief Japanese records were pressed on better quality vinyl and offered a better listening experience than domestic pressed vinyl.  This was especially true in the early 1970's when the "oil crisis" meant thinner records and lesser quality vinyl in North America.  Beginning in the 1970's Japanese pressings of Beatles' records were commonly found in mainstream and independent record stores. 

In NM condition expect to pay $1000+ for the Tony Sheridan L.P. and around $150 for the E.P.  The German "Beatles' Greatest" sells for $50 to $75.  The German "Second Album" sells for $600 to $1000, while "Something New" and "Revolver" fetch between $80 and $120.

Japanese albums from the 1970's and 1980's sell for between $40 and $70.   

Russian vinyl LP's sell for approximately $30 - $40 and flexi Disc E.P.'s from Russia or Poland sell for $15 - $20 each. Polish Postcard records sell for $12 to $15.