An extremely rare Beatles-signed Meet The Beatles! album cover, one of only six known, is expected to sell for over $100,000 in RR Auction’s Marvels of Modern Music Auction, which started December 5 and ends Thursday, December 12.

Meet The Beatles! was Capitol Records’ first U.S. Beatles album, released right before their February 9, 1964 American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show during their first U.S. visit, from February 7 to 22. They appeared on Ed Sullivan two more times, and performed concerts at the Washington Coliseum and Carnegie Hall.

“This is only the second band-signed Meet The Beatles! album we’ve offered in 40 years,” said Bobby Livingston, Vice-President of RR Auction.

“Access to the Beatles during the height of Beatlemania was limited, and having a U.S. issued LP autographed by the four of them was an extremely rare opportunity. Not many exist. The earlier Meet The Beatles! sold for $120,000 in 2014. The one in our current auction is virtually like new, so we believe it could bring even more.”

The album was in the personal collection of Frank Caiazzo from 1991-95. Caiazzo, widely recognized as the world’s foremost Beatles autograph expert, recently examined the album for the first time in almost 25 years in order to issue a current Letter of Authentication for RR Auction.

Highest Quality Meet The Beatles!
Fans who got autographs back then rarely thought they’d be valuable someday. If they managed to get their album signed, most continued to play it, so considerable wear and tear is normal.

“This is the finest Meet The Beatles! cover I’ve seen,” said Caiazzo. “In fact, it’s one of the nicest of all band-signed Beatles albums I’ve ever seen. “There are virtually no signs of wear, and the signatures are absolutely beautiful.”

Caiazzo is confident that the album was signed on The Beatles' first visit to America, one of the most important events in Beatles history.

“Beatles autograph characteristics often changed month-to-month,” said Caiazzo. “The autographs on this album are the same style as ones witnessed being signed on their February 1964 visit. I’m confident they were signed during that time.”

All Band-Signed U.S. Beatles Albums are Extremely Rare
“Thirteen U.S. Beatles albums were released between 1964 and 1970, but only 17 band-signed covers are known,” said Caiazzo. “The Beatles’ only U.S. tours were from 1964 to 66, and they were virtually inaccessible. It was all but impossible for fans to get their autographs in-person, and almost no one thought of having albums signed back then.

View the Meet The Beatles! at RRAuction.com.