Beatles Ringo Starr You’re Sixteen VERY RARE 45RPM TEST PRESSING RECORD

$

48

In this auction is a RARE ONE from my own collection:

·       “YOU’RE SIXTEEN” by Ringo Starr

·       This is a TEST PRESSING for what would be Apple Records 1870, the catalog number for this single title.

·       This VERY RARE TEST PRESSING has WHITE LABELS with WRITTEN INFORMATION on the labels.

·       The Price Guide for the Beatles American Records by Perry Cox and Frank Daniels contains the following information about test pressings on page 10:

“Prior to the start of a production run, a few test copies of the record are pressed. These are sent to the record company for review. Once approval is received, the factories begin pressing the records. Because test pressings are often made prior to the labels being printed, they often have blank white labels with handwritten information. They should not be confused with promotional discs, which are manufactured in greater numbers after approval of the test pressing.”

“Because test pressings are scarcer than promotional discs and commercial copies of the record, they sell for a premium. Value is determined not only by scarcity, but also by the desirability of the title.”

·       The 45 RPM single, taken from the “RINGO” LP was commercially released in December, 1973 in the U.S. and went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the Cash Box top 100 chart. It also reached #2 in Canada and #4 in the U.K.

·       The following PRINTED INFORMATION is on both of the white labels:

“Available only to technical and other

authorized personnel for the limited

purposes of testing and review. NOT

TO BE PUBLICALLY PERFORMED,

REPRODUCED, SOLD OR

OTHERWISE

DISTRIBUTED.”

·       The labels have the following HANDWRITTEN INFORMATION:

On one label in blue ink:

“Ringo Starr”

 “You’re Sixteen”

 and “S”

(for “Stereo”)

There is NO HANDWRITING on the reverse label

·       The VINYL is in VERY STRONG VG to WEAK VG+ CONDITION. There are some very light surface hairless/scuffs but none are significant and none are “feel-able”. (I played both sides of the record and the sound is CLEAN and CLEAR and sounds better than VG/VG+!)  

·       The LABELS are MOSTLY CLEAN with very light smudges/signs of handling.

A VERY RARE TEST PRESSING of a GREAT RINGO STARR #1 HIT TUNE for someone’s vinyl or Beatles collection!!!

Thanks to the Price Guide for the Beatles American Records by Perry Cox and Frank Daniels for information about this record.