An “incredibly rare” Beatles vinyl record found in a London charity shop has been auctioned for more than £4,200.
Shop manager Jaime-Marie Madden, who works at a Cancer Research UK charity shop in Enfield, north London, found the record, which she initially thought to be worth a few hundred pounds.
The vinyl was discovered to be a first pressing from the original masters of the famous foursome’s debut studio album Please Please Me, released in 1963, which features the Parlophone black label with gold text.
The find was processed by a dedicated online trading team and listed on eBay with a starting price of £1,499.99, before it was bought for a winning bid of £4,211.89.
Cancer Research UK shop manager Ms Madden said: “When I first spotted the vinyl, I thought it might only be worth a few hundred pounds.
“The record was in good condition, with only a few marks, but the sleeve was pretty damaged and worn, with a cut at base, some scuffs, marks, ageing and stains.
“There was even a name written on back.
“Luckily, at Cancer Research UK we’re trained to spot donations that can raise more money for life-saving cancer research, so after taking a few pictures and Googling the record, I knew we had something special!
“I wrapped it up safe and sent it off to our online marketplaces team who spent more time researching the value of the item, and then listed it on our eBay marketplace.
“I kept my eye on it and couldn’t believe when it sold for £4.2k! We’re always grateful to people who donate to the charity, and we always try to make the most of donations.
“It’s great to see this money go to such an important cause!”
Harper Field Auctioneers And Valuers vinyl record valuation specialist Mike Kuklenko said: “What an amazing story! Please Please Me by The Beatles, in this format is an incredibly rare record, and a great spot by Jaime-Marie.
“I’ve seen a few stories like this in my time as professional vinyl valuer.
“People have shared their old collections, thinking it will raise a few pounds, and I’ve been fortunate enough to be the one who surprises them that they have a gem or two worth hundreds or even thousands of pounds.
“In this case, it is fantastic to see all this money going towards lifesaving cancer research. What a find!”
Cancer Research UK is a leading cancer charity that is dedicated to saving lives through research, influence and information.