The world’s most expensive album cover goes up for auction

Sgt. Pepper’s Capitol Staff Club Band

A super-rare variation of The Beatle’s iconic Sgt. Peppers cover has gone up for auction. Featuring the faces of 40 Capitol Records executives crudely pasted onto the original photo, the specially printed sleeves were distributed at a Capitol party in 1967 and are thought to be limited to between just 40 and 50 copies.

Ranked by Record Collector as the world’s most expensive record cover in their 2011 poll, the sleeve has been valued at over $100,000, with Beatles expert Perry Cox describing it as “among the rarest and most interesting artifacts produced during the original era of the Beatles.”

The copy on the table at Heritage Auctions is said to have belonged to Marvin Beisel, Capitol’s national sales director, and one of the executives pictured on the cover. Bidding for the item is currently at just $8,000, but it’s expected to at least double in price before the internet auction closes at 10pm CT on Aug 9, 2013 ahead of a Live Signature Floor Session on Aug 10, 2013. [via Vinyl Of The Day]

Make your bid HERE.

Last week The Beatles “Love Me Do” was reissued on heart-shaped vinyl, while earlier this year a signed copy of Sgt. Peppers was sold for over $290,000.