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How Limited In Quantity Are RS Promo Releases??
Posted by: CrackBaby ()
Date: January 4, 2025 03:21

Question:
Do any members here have knowledge as to how limited in qty RS Promo releases are? Specifically:
-promo 45's from years ago
-promo 12" from 70's and beyond
-promo CDs
I'm curious to know as I have collected promo releases for years but really don't know how limited they are. I appreciate your educated comments. Specifics on certain promos are helpful. For example: "Too Great To Make You Wait" Flashpoint promo cd. How many of these exist?? And others?

Re: How Limited In Quantity Are RS Promo Releases??
Posted by: 1963luca0 ()
Date: January 4, 2025 14:10

DECCA Records pressed exactly 200 promotional copies of each of their singles.
This is the reason why singles that had no success are easier to find in promo rather than in stock copy.
Some DECCA singles sold just few tens of copies: Lulu, Peppi, Marty Wild, George Bean sold very bad.
RSR promos were pressed in thousands, when FM radios became a big thing.
BBC pressed few hundred records, depending on how many radios bought their service.
I also collect promos, but don’t consider them too rare, except for a few of them.

Re: How Limited In Quantity Are RS Promo Releases??
Posted by: ironbelly ()
Date: January 4, 2025 14:20

I believe nobody will tell you for sure. That is with the record company.

You can only make estimations. But estimations require to count on a certain approaches and factors.
- how many were really pressed? For a CD production one stampler is used to press up to 8000-10000 copies. This number came from a guy who used to work with Polydor Hanover (West Germany) pressing plant.
- how the company treated those promos after the action is over? I.e. do they ask to destroy or to return the discs back. How strict they are on this matter?
- do the initial owner (DJ or journalist) want to part with the disc? This and the previous will determine how many copies are on the market.
- is a particular promo well know and in demand among collectors?
- are there fakes?


"Too Great To Make You Wait" Flashpoint promo CD does not look as a rare one in the USA. I would estimate the amount between 2000 and 5000 copies (a loose approach might even lead you to up to 10000 copies). A few years ago no less than 10 copies were sold on ebay by one seller. It is relatively rare for the other territories. However, it is well known and is in demand. Thus, the prices for this one on ebay are high. But I would not part with more than $25 for that disc.
The same with Desert Island Survivors Kit (ABKCO promo). This one is not that rare in the USA too. I remember a guy on gemm.com (RIP) that claimed no less than 20 copies in stock for as low as $8. And he did not sell those before the site went dead.
Remastered 2002 hybrid SACD is another example of well known and generally overpriced promo. But it was pressed in HUGE quantities for all markets.
Say Ahh! - not that rare.
The Stones on CD - A Radio Sampler (it is the very 1st full length promo CD from 1986 by CBS) - Das Weissbuch claim 1000 copies were pressed. I would estimate more than that, closer to 5000.
Voodoo Lounge 8 tracks - relatively rare. But fakes were made. So, you know...
And on, and on, and on.

Sure, some Japanese (e.g. Voodoo Lounge Tour Souvenir or 3 Greatest) and other regional editions (like French Bridges to Babylon 5 tracks sampler or French Les Annees Stones 8 tracks promo for Hot Rocks) are hard to get. But even for those I would estimate the amount of pressed in the vicinity of 1000. The main question is - how many of those are on the market.

From my experience - some CD promos of The Rolling Stones are easier to get than the first pressing of a particular retail edition of a CD issued in 1983 smiling smiley.

And please do not forget tons of fake 'limited custom made promo CD-Rs distributed among the high ranking executives of the record company only' winking smiley.

Re: How Limited In Quantity Are RS Promo Releases??
Posted by: CrackBaby ()
Date: January 4, 2025 15:53

Thanks, Ironbelly. Great info. I would agree with your qty estimates. Even at 5-10k copies (I think lower on some) that's still pretty limited. And I would guess their survival rate to be much less than stock releases. Especially promo 45's which are not collected much now, even with the vinyl revival. I attend many record fairs and I can get 45's for very cheap. Nobody seems to want them any longer.

Regarding promo 45's - I like collecting the old London promos with DJ writing on the label. Station call letters, intro times, etc. I think it's cool to know that these were actually played over the air and heard by probably millions of people. And to think heard at how many parties, workplaces, in cars, etc. Kinda cool for me!

Re: How Limited In Quantity Are RS Promo Releases??
Posted by: Kingbeebuzz ()
Date: January 4, 2025 16:00

IMHO promos were / are obviously promotional material to stimulate sales. In the sixties they were not given much thought of or value, considered throw always.
As we moved through the seventies with bootlegs etc and more people collected stuff promos started to have more value………….but also far,far more started to be produced and distributed world wide.

For me therefore the rare / more valuable Stones promos are pre 1970……..IMHO.

Re: How Limited In Quantity Are RS Promo Releases??
Posted by: treaclefingers ()
Date: January 4, 2025 17:14

I doubt there's anything definitive on your questions, but there are tools that can help at least partially answer some of your questions.

Sites like discogs have enthusiasts list their collections. I tried to categorize my collection into separate folders, so it's easy to navigate and find specific items. So for promo 45s, I've created this:

[www.discogs.com]

In there are all my promo 45s, as well as jukebox singles. When you dig down a bit on an individual release, you can see not only how many are for sale and for how much/in what condition, but also how many proclaim to "have" the item vs. how many "want" the item.

In most circumstances many more people "want" than "have", which is different from most other listings where more people have the item and few want it.

It's by no means scientific but gives you a sense of the scarcity, when you're comparing the promo version of the 45, vs. the regular release (though there can be several different versions of the regular release, but that's another discussion entirely).

You can also compare the various 45s vs each other. That's interesting because some are clearly rarer, or at least in higher demand based on what people are listing/selling them for, than others. You can see in my own collection some items I only have one of, and felt somewhat lucky to get vs. others I have multiple copies of.

Based on discogs at least, my most "valuable" promo 45 is the "Let's Spend The Night Together" promo from 1982, coinciding with the release of the movie.

Re: How Limited In Quantity Are RS Promo Releases??
Posted by: Stoneage ()
Date: January 4, 2025 19:22

Discjockey or music journalist must be the perfect profession for the avid collector. And they get it all for free...



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