First a note on one of the most misused words in the world of record collecting, "Rare". When discussing collectible records, "Rare" is often used to signify how desired or valuable a record is.
Example: If an artist today released a record in only 1 copy, it would be the indisputably rarest record in the world. Or at least it would be at tie against all other records released in the quantity of just 1.
However, just being rare does not instantly make a record desirable or valuable. In fact such a record could be totally worthless. As another example, take for instance The Damned's 1977 "Stretcher Case Baby" 7" which today is very
sought-after and desirable. At present it goes for about 100 US Dollars. This single was, however, released in no less than 5,000 copies, and it is thus quite a feat that this record attracts such a
high price. The reason is that "Stretcher Case Baby" is a punk classic and it caters to a wide range of record collectors. Many other punk singles pressed in less quantities sell for much less than this Damned
classic simply because they do not cater to that broad a group of collectors, i.e. overall they are not that desireable and therefore not that valuable.
The following list of the 5 TOP COLLECTIBLE UK 1977 PUNK 7" SINGLES takes these factors into account.
1977 UK 999: "Nasty Nasty"/"No Pity" 7" United Artists - FREE 7 (78RPM promo-only in rubber-stamped sleeve. Most copies in plain white sleeves (some stickered).
Definitely the most valuable and sought-after of the United Artists "FREE" singles (The Stranglers FREE 4 ("Peaches") in its stickered plain white sleeve takes 2nd place ))
1977 UK Pete Newnham: "Rudi"/"Outside My Window" 7" B&C - BCS 0011 (Not released in a picture sleeve. By far the most obscure in the Top 5, Pete Newnham's one and
only single "Rudi" b/w "Outside My Window" is solid '77 punk at its best with snarling vocals and drivng buzz-saw guitars. There are loads of other obscure '77 UK punk records, but the problem with 99% of
them is that they don't sound very punk. This one is the exception and that, coupled with the very low number of copies in existence, makes it hugely desirable.)
1977 UK The Stranglers: "Peaches"/"Go Buddy Go" 7" United Artists - UP 36248 (Withdrawn sleeve completely different to the normal "peach" version. The Stranglers' holy grail)
1977 UK XTC: "3D Single" (Tracks: "Science Friction"/"She's So Square") 7" Virgin - VS 188 (Still shrouded in mystery as to why only a handful of copies were pressed,
It took Record Collector Magazine some 20 years to acknowledge the existence of this 7" in its picture sleeve. The sleeve is of the "Delga" kind so it is not a proof sleeve or anything like that.
You'd think that Delga would only be used for the printing if a large number of sleeves were to be made. Maybe a large number were indeed printed and then later destroyed when it was decided to only press a small
number of 7" records, and somebody simply salvaged a handful of sleeves. Since not all UK copies come with the sleeve, the following scenario could have taken place: Sleeves are ordered at Delga and
it is then decided after the fact to halt the 7" pressing of the actual record. A few records have been pressed at this time. They are mainly used as promos. Meanwhile Delga printed the sleeves which
were then disposed of by Virgin, but not before somebody had grabbed a handful, marrying them with a few records. I guess it's as good a theory as any. (Note that the picture sleeve design used on this 7" is different to the layout used on the common 12" version))
1977 UK Sex Pistols: "God Save The Queen"/"No Feelings" 7" A&M - AMS 7284 (Withdrawn. Not released in a picture sleeve. This one needs no introduction really. At
present it is the record that once it turns up on Ebay demands the most money of any record in any genre. "No Feelings" mis-spelled "No Feeling" on the B-side label)
And there you have it... I wonder what this handful would fetch on Ebay if sold together...
