THE BEATLES COLLECTION
Parlophone BC 13 / PSLP 261
Parlophone BC 13 / PSLP 261
PAGE LAST UPDATED: 29 SEPTEMBER 2025
GENERAL ALBUM INFORMATION
The Beatles Collection box set brought together all twelve of the original UK stereo studio LPs plus a bonus Rarities LP containing tracks not included on any of the original albums.
Intended originally as an international limited edition, the set was released in Australia on 29 November 1978 at the price of $89.00. The LPs were standard Australian stock of the day (the new Rarities LP was pressed with the generic cream-coloured EMI label), but were housed in flip-top boxes imported from the UK. Only 2,000 sets were released in this configuration.
Proving very popular, EMI (Australia) placed the set on full release in April 1979. The set adopted the Rarities LP catalogue number, PSLP 261, and was housed in an Australian-made textured dark blue box with a lift-off lid. Printed in gold on the lid was "The Beatles collection" plus the fab four signatures. Once existing stock of the Rarities LP was exhausted, new pressings appeared with the orange Parlophone label. Again, LPs were standard production stock, with variations in the sleeves, labels and matrices determined by when the boxes were assembled. From mid-1980, the album titles were printed in gold centrally on the base of the (now) non-textured box and from mid-1981, the sets came sealed by EMI (Australia). By this stage the recommended retail price had risen to $109.00, although World Record Club members could get it for a steal at only $91.50 (please visit the "Promotion" page for more information).
Unlike in the UK, the Rarities LP was never released separately in Australia. However, it was common for retailers to break up box sets and sell the contents individually, allowing those who already had the core LPs to obtain Rarities without spending a premium for the complete box set.
By mid-1980, more than 25,000 sets had sold, representing 325,000 actual albums. To commemorate this six-platinum achievement, The Beatles' Australian publisher ATV Northern Songs presented EMI (Australia) with a "gold box" - see "Promotion" page for period media article. Four years later, EMI (Australia) would itself commemorate the achievement by releasing the set in a textured, gold coloured box - or at least that was the "official" story. Phil Israel explains: "The gold box was released as a limited release because at the time EMI needed extra sales to keep the finance people happy. We linked it in by celebrating the blue box set had gone gold - but in reality, it was all about the money". Apparently, EMI UK were not impressed with the new packaging but let it slide.
Each box contained a uniquely-numbered yellow certificate stating "LIMITED EDITION GOLD BOX SET No 000# OF 4000", however, evidence suggests that more than 4,000 gold box sets were sold, as contrary to the popular legend that the box was "immediately" withdrawn due to poor construction quality, the set remained a steady seller well into the second half of 1987. Indeed, Record Clubs of Australia (which came into operation in 1984 when the ailing CBS-owned Australia Record Club and EMI-owned World Record Club were taken over by a group of staff members led by Aub Hogno) was still promoting the gold box set on LP and cassette for $99.99 plus $6.00 postage as late as July 1987, along with the new compact discs. See advertisement on "Promotion" page.
Like the Australian-made blue box, the gold box was prone to corner splits on the lift-off lid. In addition, the gold box suffered terribly from the gold cover peeling, meaning that boxes in near mint condition are very rare.
Intended originally as an international limited edition, the set was released in Australia on 29 November 1978 at the price of $89.00. The LPs were standard Australian stock of the day (the new Rarities LP was pressed with the generic cream-coloured EMI label), but were housed in flip-top boxes imported from the UK. Only 2,000 sets were released in this configuration.
Proving very popular, EMI (Australia) placed the set on full release in April 1979. The set adopted the Rarities LP catalogue number, PSLP 261, and was housed in an Australian-made textured dark blue box with a lift-off lid. Printed in gold on the lid was "The Beatles collection" plus the fab four signatures. Once existing stock of the Rarities LP was exhausted, new pressings appeared with the orange Parlophone label. Again, LPs were standard production stock, with variations in the sleeves, labels and matrices determined by when the boxes were assembled. From mid-1980, the album titles were printed in gold centrally on the base of the (now) non-textured box and from mid-1981, the sets came sealed by EMI (Australia). By this stage the recommended retail price had risen to $109.00, although World Record Club members could get it for a steal at only $91.50 (please visit the "Promotion" page for more information).
Unlike in the UK, the Rarities LP was never released separately in Australia. However, it was common for retailers to break up box sets and sell the contents individually, allowing those who already had the core LPs to obtain Rarities without spending a premium for the complete box set.
By mid-1980, more than 25,000 sets had sold, representing 325,000 actual albums. To commemorate this six-platinum achievement, The Beatles' Australian publisher ATV Northern Songs presented EMI (Australia) with a "gold box" - see "Promotion" page for period media article. Four years later, EMI (Australia) would itself commemorate the achievement by releasing the set in a textured, gold coloured box - or at least that was the "official" story. Phil Israel explains: "The gold box was released as a limited release because at the time EMI needed extra sales to keep the finance people happy. We linked it in by celebrating the blue box set had gone gold - but in reality, it was all about the money". Apparently, EMI UK were not impressed with the new packaging but let it slide.
Each box contained a uniquely-numbered yellow certificate stating "LIMITED EDITION GOLD BOX SET No 000# OF 4000", however, evidence suggests that more than 4,000 gold box sets were sold, as contrary to the popular legend that the box was "immediately" withdrawn due to poor construction quality, the set remained a steady seller well into the second half of 1987. Indeed, Record Clubs of Australia (which came into operation in 1984 when the ailing CBS-owned Australia Record Club and EMI-owned World Record Club were taken over by a group of staff members led by Aub Hogno) was still promoting the gold box set on LP and cassette for $99.99 plus $6.00 postage as late as July 1987, along with the new compact discs. See advertisement on "Promotion" page.
Like the Australian-made blue box, the gold box was prone to corner splits on the lift-off lid. In addition, the gold box suffered terribly from the gold cover peeling, meaning that boxes in near mint condition are very rare.
In parallel one could still purchase the 'standard' blue box, which remained the main set until December 1988, when EMI (Australia) issued the digitally remastered vinyl catalogue in a UK-made wooden roll top box. Now included was Magical Mystery Tour and the two-disc Past Masters, as well as a glossy 59-page book.
Cassette sets sold between April 1988 and December 1988 contained digitally remastered cassettes, except for Rarities.
Between 1978 and 1988 some 80,000 sets had been sold. The collection entered the album charts a year after release, in December 1979, where it reached #33 across 11 weeks. It re-entered the charts again two week's after John Lennon's death in December 1980, this time reaching #38 across 8 weeks.
Please visit each individual album page for more information.
Cassette sets sold between April 1988 and December 1988 contained digitally remastered cassettes, except for Rarities.
Between 1978 and 1988 some 80,000 sets had been sold. The collection entered the album charts a year after release, in December 1979, where it reached #33 across 11 weeks. It re-entered the charts again two week's after John Lennon's death in December 1980, this time reaching #38 across 8 weeks.
Please visit each individual album page for more information.
