Beatles Discount Store "Oldies" Records & Deletes in Canada

In the U.S. it was common to find Beatles' off the charts records or reissued records sold in drug stores, Dime Stores or discount stores at a reduced price. 

The records were often repackaged to enhance their display appeal and highlight their discounted price. In the early 1960's records were stapled to a "Hang Tag" and by the later 1960's they were sealed in a poly bag, sealed in shrink wrap with a header card or just had the sleeve stapled to a header card .

This practice began in the early 1960's with releases such as the Canadian pressed Capitol record "Roll Over Beethoven" and continued well into the 1980's. The repackaging was city or region specific and usually carried out by jobbers and distributors and even by individual retailers.

Many Beatles discs were repackaged and marketed this way including the Vee Jay "Oldies" series, Capitol's "All You Need Is Love", "Day Tripper" and "Nowhere Man" along with most of the Beatles' catalog reissued on the Apple label. In addition, numerous Beatles' Apple solo 45's from the early 1970's could also be found  packaged and marketed in this way.

I am not aware of any Canadian Beatles' 45's sold in this way in Canada, however, it is possible individual retail stores or local jobbers did so on their own initiative. 

Some original Canadian 45 releases were drilled with a BB size hole through the label and sold at a discount. Releases sold this way include "She Loves You", "Can't Buy Me Love", "Nowhere Man", "Yellow Submarine", "Hello Goodbye", "Paperback Writer" & "Roll Over Beethoven". There may be others.

In the early 1970's a number of Beatles' solo 45's on the Canadian Apple label could be found with a BB hole in the delete bin. As the individual Beatles changed labels stock on the older label were deleted. When the Apple label was being phased out older stock was often discounted and identified with a BB hole. Many examples of BB hole deleted 45's can be found in each ex-Beatles catalogue.

 

A number of The Beatles' mono LP's were deleted as the format was being phased out or due to poor sales.  Deleted mono albums include United Artists "A Hard Days' Night, "Something New", "Beatles VI", "Rubber soul", "Yesterday and Today", "Sargent Pepper" and "Magical Mystery Tour.  Albums deleted due to poor sales were "Yesterday and Today", "Yellow Submarine" and "Hey Jude".  It was also possible the "Let It Be" box set was deleted, but not punched.  Polydor's "Very Together" was deleted with a rough punch hole in the cover and deep discounted as low as .99 cents. 

Any number of the Beatles' 1970's reissues on the orange and purple label were deleted and deep discounted. Earlier 1970's copies usually received a small or large delete hole while later copies, especially the purple label reissues, received a less intrusive delete cut on the spine.        

As the Apple label was being phased in the early-mid 1970's a number of Beatles' repackaged solo Apple 45's imported from the U.S.A. could be found in western Canadian discount stores including Woolworths (who packaged their own) and possibly Woolco & Zellers.

Examples include Ringo's "Photograph" and "Only You", Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Through The Night" and "Mind Games", Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" and "Bangladesh" and McCartney's "Band On The Run", "Jet" and "Hi Hi Hi". All copies were Los Angeles west coast pressings.

  

Current values:

The Canadian pressed "Roll Over Beethoven" complete with hang tag, or an original Capitol release such as "Nowhere man" in a sealed Oldies poly bag will sell for between $50 and $100. A Beatles' Apple 45 sealed with a header card will range from $30 to $50 and Beatles' solo Apple releases sell for between $20 and $30.