Rarest Smiths/Moz

What would be the rarest Smiths/Moz items? A top 20 would be good.

Ill keep it simple and stick to Smiths vinyl only, and exclude any ultra rare tests & Acetates etc.

My list of the toughest regular releases, and some quasi-released alternate sleeves & promos.


- Meat Is Murder - Uruguay LP
- What Difference Does It Make - New Zealand 12” (I’ve never even seen one, let alone come close to owning it)
- SMITHS - Zimbabwe LP
- William It Was Really Nothing - Philippine’s 12”
- That Joke Philippine’s 12”
- Stop Me 12” Dutch with track list on the back
- GIAC 7” Misprint w/I keep mine hidden sleeve
- Bigmouth 7” Dutch alternate sleeve (Blue text)
- Panic 7” Dutch alternate sleeve (white text)
- Headmaster Ritual 7” Dutch Cowboy Kid Sleeve
- any of the Smiths LPs from Aus with the black & white bowlerman promo labels.
- WDDIM & TCM 12” Aussie promos
- TCM 7” withdrawn
- German Debut promo RTD25
- Ask Italy 12” RGH

..I’ve prob missed a few key ones, but they’re all that’s coming to me for now. Also, these are a tier below but still quite tough and nice to own.

- GIAC 7” Portugal
- WDDIM 12” France
- Any NZL 7”
- Any Aus 7” b&w Label promos
- Any Philippine’s LPs
- Sweden 12s,
- Shakespeare’s Sister 12” pink inner
- Aussie Ask 7”
- TIAL French 7”
- William 7” Italy
 
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No red Billy ? Or have I read you post wrong buddy?

Red William sleeve you mean? Meh, my list was more aimed at the obtainable items, rather than anything too off the radar. But yeah, sure, that’s a nice one, if you can find it. By no means the rarest smiths item, prob wouldn’t even make a top 100, if you’re basing it solely on numbers.
They’ll be a ton of one-off, unique items out there, and how do you rank those. They’d all be =1st
 
This is supposedly the one and only Test Pressing for the Strangeways Philippine’s LP.


C13FD763-75C5-4BDA-9B45-E19ADD67A0AC.jpeg
 
I believe HIG negative sleeve will always be the number one on any printed list or with the non completiest collector. Just did to the mystique. But completiest know a Zimbabwe ST, or red Hong Kong is probably more rare.
 
so what would be the holy grail?

For me it’s the Meat Is Murder 7” Test & Reel Around The Fountain 7” Test, I also like the HSIN/Oscillate Wildly 7” Test. Again, by no means the rarest stuff out there but those would be my 3 picks. I’m not arsed about the HIG neg sleeve tbh.
 
Red William sleeve you mean? Meh, my list was more aimed at the obtainable items, rather than anything too off the radar. But yeah, sure, that’s a nice one, if you can find it. By no means the rarest smiths item, prob wouldn’t even make a top 100, if you’re basing it solely on numbers.
They’ll be a ton of one-off, unique items out there, and how do you rank those. They’d all be =1st

I once met a dealer at a record fair who had the print proof of the red coloured William. He claims he bought it off Ebay for about £10 as the seller had advertised it purely as a unreleased sleeve print with no mention of The Smiths. Apparently it had been fished out of a bin so was slightly crumpled and he wanted £400 for it which I couldn't justify at the time.
 
I once met a dealer at a record fair who had the print proof of the red coloured William. He claims he bought it off Ebay for about £10 as the seller had advertised it purely as a unreleased sleeve print with no mention of The Smiths. Apparently it had been fished out of a bin so was slightly crumpled and he wanted £400 for it which I couldn't justify at the time.

I do have this slightly crumpled red coloured William proof sleeve. According to the seller it was saved from the bin at Condor Litho. I bought it years ago on eBay for less than £50.
 
Ill keep it simple and stick to Smiths vinyl only, and exclude any ultra rare tests & Acetates etc.

My list of the toughest regular releases, and some quasi-released alternate sleeves & promos.


- Meat Is Murder - Uruguay LP
- What Difference Does It Make - New Zealand 12” (I’ve never even seen one, let alone come close to owning it)
- SMITHS - Zimbabwe LP
- William It Was Really Nothing - Philippine’s 12”
- That Joke Philippine’s 12”
- Stop Me 12” Dutch with track list on the back
- GIAC 7” Misprint w/I keep mine hidden sleeve
- Bigmouth 7” Dutch alternate sleeve (Blue text)
- Panic 7” Dutch alternate sleeve (white text)
- Headmaster Ritual 7” Dutch Cowboy Kid Sleeve
- any of the Smiths LPs from Aus with the black & white bowlerman promo labels.
- WDDIM & TCM 12” Aussie promos
- TCM 7” withdrawn
- German Debut promo RTD25
- Ask Italy 12” RGH

..I’ve prob missed a few key ones, but they’re all that’s coming to me for now. Also, these are a tier below but still quite tough and nice to own.

- GIAC 7” Portugal
- WDDIM 12” France
- Any NZL 7”
- Any Aus 7” b&w Label promos
- Any Philippine’s LPs
- Sweden 12s,
- Shakespeare’s Sister 12” pink inner
- Aussie Ask 7”
- TIAL French 7”
- William 7” Italy


Good list!

I would consider adding the following to the list:
- Smiths LP with orange letters
- withdrawn Italian William 12"
- You just haven't earned it yet Baby 12"

I am surprised seeing WDDIM 12” France on the list tho. I think I found 3 copies in the wild here in the last 4 years.
 
Good list!

I would consider adding the following to the list:
- Smiths LP with orange letters
- withdrawn Italian William 12"
- You just haven't earned it yet Baby 12"

I am surprised seeing WDDIM 12” France on the list tho. I think I found 3 copies in the wild here in the last 4 years.

3 in 4 years isn’t a good strike rate, hence its inclusion in my list. I’ve had 2 of those “Hong Kong” LPs with orange letters in the last 2 years. The VINX71 is also readily available, multiple copies show up on Discogs every year, it’s little brother the 7” is much tougher to find.
 
Here is a picture (if uploading the image works). It might be a bit unsharp because I keep it in plastic to prevent further damage.

IMG_1054.JPG
 
Tony the Pony 7'' made in Mongolia with a photo of Genghis Khan on the cover is worth $999,999,999

I am willing to exchange it for the Mona Lisa. Send a private message if you are interested.
 
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