Expert: James Michael Anderson - 5/12/2007

Question
Michael:

I found your excellent answer to another question about this LP on Google.  I'm in need of help to determine what version this is that I have.  Pics can be seen at the bottom of my blog here: pwworks.blogspot.com

I think I bought this at a record store that was clearing it's stock of old LP's when CD's were obviously taking over in the early 80's.  It is still sealed.  The photo, as I hope you will be able to see in the pics, appears to be "colorized", or re-touched, for a lack of a better description. The number on the top right on the back is VJLP 1062.

Thank you for any help you may be able to provide!

Best Regards,

Paul Whitten  

Answer
This is very tough as your record is sealed and most of the verification happens with the record itself (colorband, printing etc..)

I believe your record is a counterfeit.  My own personal copy is also counterfeit so no biggie here assuming you didn't overpay for this record.  I bought my in a record store around 1982.

Anyway, without knowing the details of the record itself, I can't verify exactly what you have.  Here are some indicators of counterfeits.. see the one I 3 starred..  I hope this helps

-Covers with a brown border around the front cover photo are fakes.
-Covers with a bright yellow tint and the word "STEREO" printed in black at the upper left are fakes.
-Covers without George Harrison's shadow-visible to his right of where he stands, near the edge are fakes.
-Covers with red, blue, and yellow dots, unmistakable under the top of the back cover, are fakes. The dots are used by the printers during the printing process. On originals, the dots are in a different area and are not normally visible. (This fake is of particular importance due to the high quality of the front cover photo. For that reason, this cover has fooled many a collector. Look for the dots! Fake covers are almost always accompanied by a fake disc.)
***-Covers for the stereo issue that list Love Me Do and P. S. I Love You, among the two columns of tracks on the back, are almost always fakes. Only a couple of authentic copies of these versions are known to exist.
-If either the front or the back cover is flat (lacking gloss) it's is a counterfeit.