Rare Beatles record sells for thousands at Methwold auction

A rare copy of a first press Beatles album has been sold for £2,750 at an auction in Methwold this week.

The Please Please Me record, from 1963, was found amongst a box of others entered for auction by a charity two weeks ago.

Steven Tyman, auctioneer and co-owner of Methwold Auction Mart, said: “It's very, very rare to get anything like that. I have had some records in the past but nothing like that sort of value or rarity."

Mr Tyman said when the box of records was brought in by St Nicholas Hospice, he soon discovered that the Beatles record was very special.

"I went through the box and pulled it out, and I wasn't certain about it so I had to call my record dealer friend and he confirmed it was one of the first pressed in stereo," he said.

"I don't know how many others there are out there."

Please Please Me was The Beatles' debut studio album, featuring hits such as Love Me Do, Twist and Shout and I Saw Her Standing There.

"It was a joy to find, I probably won't see another one like that for years," he added.

"Every week is completely different. We are a small auction so selling things like that is really good for us."

The record went under the hammer on Monday, where it was sold to a telephone bidder for £2,750.

"There was quite a lot of interest in it right from the start, and I had contacted different dealers in London as well in case it didn't sell," Mr Tyman added.

He said the item could have reached more, but it was not in mint condition, as it has a scratch on it.

St Nicholas Hospice will be more than £2,000 up after the sale, though, after commission.

"The charity are delighted with the result," Mr Tyman added.