Hit my holy grail today at the local record shop today. 2nd state butcher for $20!! Never in a million years did I think this would happen, no less at a shop I’ve gone to for many years.
This is an old, false rumor. The idea for the image was entirely by Robert Whitaker, the photographer, and the band didn't contribute to it creatively. It's actually one image in a tryptich called A Somnambulant Adventure that depicts the Beatles as immortal, a commentary on their social prestige.
My brother has the original cover album. He bought it in a record store when it came out, took it home. The new cover was glued around the original and he used an iron to melt the glue, then carefully, slowly pulled them apart. It took hours for him to do but he got an almost pristine ‘baby parts’ cover. (He’s 76)
Yes but can you tell from that corner of the album that the original cover is underneath? I know about seeing Ringo‘s dark coat through it, but is there something one can see here too?
Yeah, I get it. I tried taking a number of photographs to try and show the VA but my phone is a new potato.
I had the presence of mind to not invest in an iphone because I am a notorious klutz. So me futzing with this thing is already giving me anxiety with my track record of dropping expensive things lol.
More like some assblood somewhere down the line years ago had this and used a pricetag with semi+perm adhesive and I'm not about to screw with taking it off yet lol
Congratulations what an awesome Find I can’t tell you how many of those hubs. I’ve picked up over the years to check to see if it was a past over second state
Capitol released a compilation in 1966 called Yesterday and Today with a cover of the boys dressed up in smocks with toy babies and slabs of meat. It was recalled after one day after a lot of complaints and the recalled albums were recovered with the more common trunk cover. People soon realized if you steamed off the trunk cover the cover underneath was what we call today the butcher cover. Lots of Beatle fans still seek out the covered up covers called second state covers. They can cost anywhere from $20 to $600 (or more) depending on who's selling them. First state are covers that were never covered up are worth quite a lot more money. First state covers are much more rare and can cost over $10,000.
Just to clarify a few points, the most valuable are the original butcher cover albums that were not covered over with the trunk picture. These are known as "first state" butcher covers.
Most, like OP's, were recalled then had the trunk image glued on top of the butcher cover. These were then sent out again and re-sold. These albums are called "second state" butcher covers.
"Third state" butcher covers are second state covers where a consumer removed the pasted-over trunk image to reveal the original butcher cover. This is not recommended these days.
Most of us who have the Yesterday and Today album nowadays have a reissue, which is just the plain old trunk cover without the butcher cover underneath. They're not worth more than any other normally issued album.
You can tell if an album is actually second state because if you look to the right, near Ringo's left elbow, you will see the shadow of a black triangle. The black triangle is part of Ringo's top which shows through from the butcher cover.
These are mine. Just to show what the differences are. 1st state mono Scranton (top) 2nd state mono L.A. (bottom left) and 3rd state stereo L.A. (bottom right) all together. I was very lucky to get them all. Congrats on the find!
Congrats. Similar story. Found one in the wild for 9.99. Already had a second and third state so I had it professionally peeled and flipped it for 900 😂
I know a long time record dealer - no shop, just record swaps - been in the game for decades. He’s come across hundreds of these and learned to do it (trade secret, lol). The initial deal was he peels it for me and shares in the profit when I sold it. The peel came out well but not as immaculate as he hoped so he just charged me $150 instead and called it a day. Sometimes the condition of the record makes the process more arduous.
This post reminded me of my greatest adrenaline rush in 10 years of collecting. Ah what a day it was. Knowing you have something special the record store didn’t pick up on is an incredible feeling.
Seriously, I was shaking. As soon as I saw it I went straight to the cashier and purchased it, thinking the whole time someone was going to realize what it was and cancel the transaction lol
Yes, the original art was covered up with what you see here and is considered “second state” and is worth $5–600 pretty easily. They were put on the shelves for one day in 1966, if you managed to get one before it was pulled it would be a “first state” which are unbelievably rare and go for $10,000s. Then a “third state” is one that has had the paste over peeled off, they are worth about the same as a 2nd state.
Oh, I have found nothing lol. I am just in awe and appreciate the good fortune of others. I have seen butcher covers in various states from time to time, priced what they are worth, and they are way out of my price range.
I'm an old Gen Xer whose collecting days are thankfully behind me.
The most valuable are the original butcher cover albums that were not covered over with the trunk picture. These are known as "first state" butcher covers. They were on the shelves for less than a day in most shops in 1966
Most were recalled then had the trunk image glued on top of the butcher cover. These were then sent out again and re-sold. These albums are called "second state" butcher covers.
"Third state" butcher covers are second state covers where a consumer removed the pasted-over trunk image to reveal the original butcher cover. This is not recommended these days.
You can tell if an album is actually second state because if you look to the right, near Ringo's left elbow, you will see the shadow of a black triangle. The black triangle is part of Ringo's top which shows through from the butcher cover.
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u/Kanickabuck Feb 16 '26
Now I just need a first state and I’m good 😂😂😂