Expert: Pattie - 1/21/2009

Question
I have an original copy of The Beatles "Yesterday and Today" album.  I am thinking of selling it and would like to know its value.  It was my fathers and he has since passed and left it to me.  

It is NOT in mint condition. There are rounded corners and a few rips and tears.  It is capable of  both stereo and mono?  

Everything I have read has stated that it is worth about $5k in mint condition.  I was planning on selling it on Ebay and thinking of starting the bid at $2500.  Sound about right?  Thoughts?  Comments?

Thanks,

Peter

Answer
Hi Peter!

The value of your album will depend on which variation of the famed "Butcher Cover" that you have. Below is a basic chart to follow:

First-state cover: Extremely rare, straight out of the factory with the butcher cover as the ONLY cover. Current value: Mono-$7500 Stereo-$12,000 in mint condition. (Note: I have seen sealed copies of this version go for as high as $250,000. Personally, I think that price is outrageous, even for a sealed copy)

Paste-over (un-peeled): The original butcher cover was given a new look with the trunk cover pasted over the top. You can still see a bit of Ringo's shirt through the paste-over (looks like a black triangle). Current value: Mono-$1300  Stereo-$7500 in mint condition.

Paste-over (peeled): Same as above, only the trunk cover has been peeled away, revealing the butcher cover underneath. In most cases, the trunk cover was not removed properly. If you find one that appears to be "perfect", it's likely a bootleg, or you got it from a reliable "peeler". Current value: Mono-$500  Stereo-$1200 in mint condition.

Please keep in mind that the prices I've listed are the current fair market value according to a friend of mine who owns a collectible record shop. These prices can vary depending on who you're buying from. You may see the same album that you have listed on eBay for 10K, that doesn't mean that it's worth it, someone is just hoping for the best. You also can deduct roughly 25-30% for a less than mint copy, depending on how bad the damage is.

The Butcher Cover is certainly one of the most valuable pieces of Beatle collectibles, and because of that, the market for it has gone through the roof. Prices are out-of-site. You can try selling yours on eBay of course, but there have been so many scams on eBay regarding Beatle memorabilia and collectibles lately that many collectors shy away from it, myself included. I would think starting your auction off at about $1500 would be better, but you can always put a much higher reserve on it. I hope I've provided you with enough info to help you. Good luck!

Peace,
Pattie
8^)