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The Beatles – Anthology 2 vinyl cover

Data as of Jun 16, 2026

The Beatles – Anthology 2

1996 · Europe · Apple Records · Vinyl LP Album

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Vinyl12"3 discs
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Pressing identification

Match these against your copy to confirm the exact pressing.

Runout — side A
8344481 1A1
Runout — side B
8344481 1B1
Runout — side C
8344481 1C1
Runout — side D
8344481 1D1
Runout — side E
8344481 1E1
Runout — side F
8344481 1F1
Barcode (Scanned)
724383444816
Barcode (Text)
7 24383 44481 6
Label Code
LC 0299
Price Code
PM 541(F:)
Price Code
none(I:)
Other
7243 8 34449 15(Catalog number LP 1)
Other
7243 834450 1 1(Catalog number LP 2)
Other
7243 8 37047 1 2(Catalog number LP 3)
Recorded At
The Dakota
Recorded At
Abbey Road Studios
Recorded At
ABC Theatre
Recorded At
Shea Stadium
Recorded At
Budokan
Recorded At
Kenwood Surrey

Specifications

Artist
The Beatles
Genre
Rock
Style
Rock & Roll, Pop Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Beat
Year
1996
Label
Apple Records
Catalog number
PCSP 728
Country
Europe
Barcode
724383444816

Tracklist

  1. A1Real Love3:54
  2. A2Yes It Is (Takes 2 & 14)1:50
  3. A3I'm Down (Take 1)2:53
  4. A4You've Got To Hide Your Love Away (Take 5)2:44
  5. A5If You've Got Trouble2:48
  6. A6That Means A Lot2:26
  7. A7Yesterday (Take 1)2:33
  8. A8It's Only Love (Takes 3 & 2)1:58
  9. B1I Feel Fine (Live From The ABC Theatre, Blackpool, UK/1965)2:15
  10. B2Ticket To Ride (Live From The ABC Theatre, Blackpool, UK/1965)2:44
  11. B3Yesterday (Live From The ABC Theatre, Blackpool, UK/1965)2:42
  12. B4Help! (Live From The ABC Theatre, Blackpool, UK/1965)2:54
  13. B5Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (Live From Shea Stadium, New York, USA/1965)2:45
  14. B6Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Take 1)1:59
  15. B7I'm Looking Through You2:53
  16. B812-Bar Original2:55
  17. C1Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1)3:14
  18. C2Got To Get You Into My Life (Take 5)2:54
  19. C3And Your Bird Can Sing (Take 2)2:13
  20. C4Taxman (Take 11)2:32
  21. C5Eleanor Rigby (Strings Only)2:06
  22. C6I'm Only Sleeping (Rehearsal)0:40
  23. C7I'm Only Sleeping (Take 1)2:59
  24. C8Rock And Roll Music (Live From Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan/1966)1:39
  25. C9She's A Woman (Live From Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan/1966)2:54
  26. D1Strawberry Fields Forever (Demo Sequence)1:42
  27. D2Strawberry Fields Forever (Take 1)2:34
  28. D3Strawberry Fields Forever (Take 7 And Edit Piece)4:13
  29. D4Penny Lane (Alternate Mix)3:12
  30. D5A Day In The Life (Alternate Mix)5:04
  31. D6Good Morning Good Morning (Take 8)2:40
  32. D7Only A Northern Song (Alternate Mix)2:43
  33. E1Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! (Takes 1 And 2)1:05
  34. E2Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite! (Take 7)2:33
  35. E3Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Alternate Mix)3:05
  36. E4Within You Without You (Instrumental)5:27
  37. E5Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) (Take 5)1:27
  38. E6You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)5:43
  39. F1I Am The Walrus (Take 16)4:01
  40. F2The Fool On The Hill (Demo)2:48
  41. F3Your Mother Should Know (Take 27)3:02
  42. F4The Fool On The Hill (Take 4)3:44
  43. F5Hello, Goodbye (Take 16)3:17
  44. F6Lady Madonna (Alternate Mix)2:22
  45. F7Across The Universe (Take 2)3:28
Producer, Directed By
George Martin
Engineer [Remix Engineer]
Geoff Emerick
Design Concept [Cover Concept]
Klaus Voormann
Design, Art Direction
Richard Ward
Design, Art Direction
The Team
Painting
Alfons Kiefer

About this record

The European Apple Records pressing of Anthology 2 carries matrix runout 8344481 1A1 through 1D1 across its four sides, marking it as a distinct 1996 UK manufacture. Demand significantly outpaces supply: 1065 collectors want this title against 3803 who own it, a ratio that keeps clean copies moving.

The fold-out gatefold with hype sticker and plain white poly-lined inner sleeves defines the original package, and condition directly determines whether a buyer pays at the lower or upper end of the market.

What drives its value

This European pressing commands attention because want-to-have ratio (1065 want / 3803 have) sits well above the typical 1:3 threshold, signaling sustained collector interest. The 45-track Anthology 2 spans sessions from 1979 and 1995 back through 1965, 1966, and 1967, making it a historical document rather than a single-era release.

Catalogue PCSP 728 and barcode 7243 8 34448 1 6 identify the Apple Records European edition. The fold-out sleeve with 2 spines and hype sticker are original-issue markers; later reissues omitted the sticker.

Among Beatles anthology vinyl, European pressings from 1996 remain more plentiful than original UK mono pressings but scarcer than CD reissues, placing this in a middle-demand tier where condition and sleeve integrity drive final value.

How to appraise this pressing

Confirm this pressing by the catalogue number PCSP 728 on the spine and barcode 7243 8 34448 1 6 on the back cover. The four-sided matrix runout reads 8344481 1A1, 8344481 1B1, 8344481 1C1, and 8344481 1D1 in the dead wax of sides A, B, C, and D respectively.

The release notes state 'Made and printed in UK,' confirming the 1996 European manufacture. The fold-out gatefold with 2 spines and plain white poly-lined inner sleeves are original; any missing hype sticker or replaced sleeves signals a later reissue or handled copy.

Grade by examining the gatefold for seam splits (common on fold-outs), checking vinyl surfaces under light for hairline scratches, and verifying the hype sticker remains affixed or present as a loose insert. The 45 tracks span recording dates from 1965 through 1967, with sessions at EMI Studios London, ABC Theatre Blackpool, Shea Stadium New York, and Nippon Budokan Hall Tokyo; playback should confirm no skips or groove damage across all four sides.

Further reading: grading a record, what makes a pressing valuable.

Release notes

Fold out sleeve (2 spines). Plain white paper poly-lined inner sleeves. Hype sticker on sleeve.

A1: Recorded in New York, 1979 and Sussex, February 1995 A2: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 16 February 1965 A3: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 14 June 1965 A4, A5: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 18 February 1965 A6: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 20 February 1965 A7: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 14 February 1965 A8: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 15 June 1965 B1, B2, B3, B4: Recorded at ABC Theatre, Blackpool, 1 August 1965 B5: Recorded at Shea Stadium, New York, 15 August 1965 B6: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 12 October 1965 B7: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 24 October 1965 B8: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 4 November 1965 C1: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 6 April 1966 C2: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 7 April 1966 C3: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 20 April 1966 C4: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 21 April 1966 C5: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 28 April 1966 C6, C7: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 29 April 1966 C8, C9: Recorded at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 30 June 1966 D1: Recorded at "Kenwood", Weybridge, Surrey, November 1966 D2: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 24 November 1966 D3: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 29 November and 9 December 1966 D4: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 29 and 30 December 1966; 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12 and 17 January 1967 D5: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 19 and 20 January and 10 February 1967 D6: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 8 and 16 February 1967 D7: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 13, 14 February and 20 April 1967 E1, E2: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 17 and 20 February 1967 E3: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 1 and 2 March 1967 E4: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 15, 16 and 22 March And 3 April 1967 E5: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 1 April 1967 E6: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 17 May and 7, 8 June 1967, 20 April 1969 F1: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 5 September 1967 F2: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 6 September 1967 F3: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 16 September 1967 F4: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 25 September 1967 F5: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 2 and 29 October 1967 F6: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 3 and 6 February 1968 F7: Recorded at EMI Studios, London, 3 February 1968

Made and printed in UK.

Notes sourced from the Discogs database.

Frequently asked

How do I verify this is the 1996 European pressing and not a later reissue?

Check the spine for catalogue PCSP 728 and the back cover for barcode 7243 8 34448 1 6. The matrix runout on each side should read 8344481 1A1, 8344481 1B1, 8344481 1C1, and 8344481 1D1. The release notes printed inside state 'Made and printed in UK.' Most importantly, the hype sticker should either be affixed to the front of the gatefold or present as a loose insert; later reissues omitted this entirely.

What is the community demand for this pressing?

1065 collectors want Anthology 2 against 3803 who currently own it. This want-to-have ratio indicates sustained interest; the title maintains a community rating of 4.63 out of 5 across 446 ratings, suggesting buyers who acquire it tend to keep it.

What makes the fold-out gatefold packaging fragile?

The gatefold has 2 spines, which means the cover folds twice. Seam splits along the inner folds are nearly inevitable on played copies; the plain white poly-lined inner sleeves can also tear or yellow with age. Original hype stickers often peel or crack. Collectors seeking Mint condition must find unplayed stock with the sticker intact and all seams tight.

Why does this pressing have 45 tracks across four sides?

Anthology 2 compiles recordings from 1965, 1966, and 1967, with sessions documented at EMI Studios London, ABC Theatre Blackpool (1 August 1965), Shea Stadium New York (15 August 1965), and Nippon Budokan Hall Tokyo (30 June 1966). The 45 tracks represent alternate takes, live performances, and studio outtakes from those eras, requiring four vinyl sides to fit the runtime.

Are European and UK pressings of Anthology 2 the same?

This pressing is the European edition on Apple Records, catalogued PCSP 728. The matrix runout 8344481 1A1–1D1 and the 'Made and printed in UK' note confirm it was manufactured in the UK for European distribution in 1996. Other territories (US, Japan, Australia) received different catalogue numbers and sometimes different pressing plants, so matrix and barcode are the definitive identifiers.

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