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Card code: VA-611451
Carpenters – The Singles 1969-1973 vinyl cover

Data as of Oct 20, 2026

Carpenters – The Singles 1969-1973

1973 · US · A&M Records · Vinyl LP Album Compilation Stereo

Discogs community rating
Vinyl12"1 disc
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from $60
1 copy · up to $60
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Price guide

Estimated market value via Discogs · as of Oct 27, 2026

M$81.94NM$73.31VG+$56.06VG$38.81G+$21.56G$12.94F$8.63P$4.31

163 copies listed on Discogs from $1.77.

These are reference estimates from Discogs sold/asking data for this exact pressing, not offers and not a guaranteed price. Actual value depends on condition, completeness and current demand. Any active seller offers on this page are listed separately above.

Offers · 1

  • $60
    ref VA-AAK3P
    Media VG+ · Very Good Plus
    🇺🇸 Ships from United States

The Discogs price estimate is a separate reference; offer prices above are sellers’ own.

New to condition grades like NM or VG? Read our vinyl grading guide →

Pressing identification

Match these against your copy to confirm the exact pressing.

Runout — side A
SP-3601
A&M SP3601-P1 I
Runout — side B
SP-3602
A&M SP3602-P2
A&M SP3602-P1
A&M SP3602-P3 X C I
Rights society
BMI, ASCAP
Price Code
0698
Pressing Plant ID
I(Stamped in runout)
Pressed By
RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis
Record Company
A&M Records, Inc.

Specifications

Genre
Rock, Pop
Style
Pop Rock, Easy Listening
Year
1973
Label
A&M Records
Catalog number
SP 3601
Country
US

Tracklist

  1. A1We've Only Just Begun3:04
  2. A2Top Of The World2:56
  3. A3Ticket To Ride4:10
  4. A4Superstar3:49
  5. A5Rainy Days And Mondays3:40
  6. A6Goodbye To Love3:50
  7. B1Yesterday Once More3:50
  8. B2It's Going To Take Some Time2:55
  9. B3Sing3:20
  10. B4For All We Know2:34
  11. B5Hurting Each Other2:46
  12. B6(They Long To Be) Close To You4:34
Producer
Jack Daugherty
Producer
Karen Carpenter
Producer
Richard Carpenter
Engineer
Ray Gerhardt
Arranged By, Orchestrated By, Keyboards
Richard Carpenter
Photography By
Neil Brisker

About this record

Pressed at RCA Records' Indianapolis facility rather than A&M's Los Angeles plant, this 1973 US compilation carries catalogue SP-3601 and exists in multiple label-design states—the brown/tan logo variant shown here differs from concurrent gold-logo and title-less pressings that circulated simultaneously. Demand outpaces supply: 608 collectors want it against 20757 who own one, yet 163 copies remain listed for sale, signalling steady turnover despite the title's ubiquity.

What drives its value

The price spread from Mint to Good reflects condition-driven value on a title pressed in high volume. A Mint copy commands 81.94 USD, while a VG+ drops to 56.06 USD and a VG settles at 38.81 USD; the lowest asking price across 163 active listings is 1.77 USD, indicating a deep tail of worn stock.

This 1973 US pressing on A&M (catalogue SP-3601) sits between a 1973 Colombian variant (LP-5106) and a 2017 reissue (B0026342-01); the original's value derives from its gatefold sleeve with 12-page booklet and the Indianapolis RCA pressing plant attribution, both absent from later reissues. Community rating of 4.01 across 936 votes confirms collector regard, though the want-to-have ratio of 608 to 20757 suggests this is a common original that appeals more to completists than hunters.

How to appraise this pressing

Confirm this pressing by the catalogue number SP-3601 on the spine and front sleeve; labels read SP-3601 in hyphenated form, while the interior booklet prints SP3601 without hyphen. The dead-wax matrix on Side 1 reads A&M SP3601-P1 I and on Side 2 reads A&M SP3602-P2, both identifying the RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis facility.

The label design is critical: this variant features a brown/tan A&M logo with the title printed directly on the label—distinguish it from concurrent gold-logo and title-less variants that shipped in the same year. The gatefold sleeve includes a 12-page song booklet and states "Printed in U.S.A." with copyright marks for 1972 and 1973 A&M Records, Inc. Grade by examining the vinyl surface under light; note that no barcode appears on this original pressing.

Further reading: grading a record, how to sell vinyl.

Listen

Hear the album before you buy.

carpenters -We've Only Just Begun
The Carpenters - Ticket To Ride
Carpenters - Top of the World (1973)
[They Long To Be] Close To You
The Carpenters - Rainy Days And Mondays
Goodbye To Love

Official videos via YouTube.

Release notes

Released in a gatefold sleeve including a 12 page song booklet. Printed in U.S.A. ℗ 1972 A&M Records, Inc. ℗ 1973 A&M Records, Inc. Pressed in Los Angeles.

A = Side 1, B = Side 2

SP 3601 appears on spine and front of sleeve, SP-3601 on labels, SP3601 appears inside booklet.

Several label variations exist. This release features brown/tan logo with title printed on labels. Text placement variations exist with this same logo. Other releases include gold logo with title on labels, track layout variation without title on labels, RCA Music Service, Columbia House issues.

Track B4 from the motion picture "Lovers And Other Strangers" .

Notes sourced from the Discogs database.

Other pressings of this release

Different editions of the same album — pressing decides value.

Year
Country
Label
Cat #
Format
1973
US
A&M Records
SP 3601
Vinyl, LP, Album, Compilationthis pressing
1973
Colombia
A&M Records
LP-5106
Vinyl, LP, Album, Compilation
2017
US
A&M Records
B0026342-01
Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Reissue

Frequently asked

What is this pressing worth in VG+ condition?

A VG+ copy is estimated at 56.06 USD according to the price guide. This represents the midpoint between Mint (81.94 USD) and VG (38.81 USD), and reflects the typical state of well-played original copies that retain audible clarity without visible groove wear.

How do I tell this 1973 pressing apart from the 2017 reissue?

The 1973 original carries catalogue SP-3601 on the spine and front, with matrix codes A&M SP3601-P1 I and A&M SP3602-P2 in the dead wax; it was pressed at RCA Records, Indianapolis. The 2017 reissue uses catalogue B0026342-01 and omits the gatefold sleeve with 12-page booklet that defines the original release.

Why are there so many copies for sale if this is a 1973 original?

163 copies currently listed reflects the title's commercial success and high original pressing volume. The want-to-have ratio of 608 to 20757 shows this is a common record in the collector base; the lowest asking price of 1.77 USD indicates worn copies flood the market, while condition examples command higher prices.

What label-design variant do I have?

Check the label itself: if the A&M logo is brown/tan and the title is printed on the label, you own the variant described here. Other 1973 variants include a gold logo with title on labels, and a title-less layout. Additionally, RCA Music Service and Columbia House issues exist with different markings.

Is the gatefold sleeve with booklet original to this pressing?

Yes. The 1973 release came in a gatefold sleeve with a 12-page song booklet as standard. The interior booklet prints SP3601 without hyphen and includes track notes, including attribution of track B4 to the motion picture "Lovers And Other Strangers." This packaging is absent from the 2017 reissue.

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