Hi, I'm from the US and new to this forum. I found it while trying to do some research on Interpak South African pressings.
I saw several mentions of people saying Interpak pressings are junk and not collectible, but I can tell you that to AC/DC collectors, Interpak made one of the most collectible pressings of all. (Although it's only for the sleeve, not the vinyl.)
AC/DC's 1977 record Let There Be Rock was released with a blue background and orange AC/DC logo, but there are some South African pressings that ended up with a purple background and green logo. It looks very cool. https://www.discogs.com/ACDC-Let-There-Be-Rock/release/4100794
It was recently discovered (maybe you guys already know this) that the Interpak versions of album sleeves have a number sequence imprinted upside down on the back. See this picture: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jWEMqnBPAy6vwtUD6 (I can't figure out how to embed photos on this site)
At first it looked like a random number, but upon further investigation, it seems to be a date stamp. My South African version of Back In Black has 10 11 80 printed on it. Blow Up Your Video 5 22 88. Fly On The Wall 14 7 85.
Now it gets weird. My version of Let There Be Rock is printed with 23 7 82. Could it be a 1982 reprint? Sure, but in talking to other collectors we have found versions that also have 80 and 84 in them. These sleeves were printed in a very small number based on how many are in circulation, so it seems strange that there would be reprints in 1980, 1982, and 1984. They'd have to be really low runs. But the idea that they are reprints is plausible in that AC/DC did not get popular until 1979-1980 area, and the older albums were re-released around the world. I know Dirty Deeds didn't come out in the US until 1982.
Also making the reprint idea very plausible is that I found a South African Gary Numan LP that is 1982 reprint with a the stamp and a different colored sleeve. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/gary-numan-pleasure-principle-africa-267521018
Sorry this is getting long, but to deepen the mystery even further, a guy came out recently claiming to have been responsible for the SA pressings in 1977: https://needlesfromthehaystackblog.com/2017/02/05/how-i-accidentally-created-the-most-collectable-acdc-lp-on-earth/ I'm having a hard time believing that story though.
So there it is. Does anyone here know anything more about Interpak sleeve stamps, or this particular AC/DC pressing? Any theories or further info would be greatly appreciated by all of us AC/DC collectors!
Thanks!
I saw several mentions of people saying Interpak pressings are junk and not collectible, but I can tell you that to AC/DC collectors, Interpak made one of the most collectible pressings of all. (Although it's only for the sleeve, not the vinyl.)
AC/DC's 1977 record Let There Be Rock was released with a blue background and orange AC/DC logo, but there are some South African pressings that ended up with a purple background and green logo. It looks very cool. https://www.discogs.com/ACDC-Let-There-Be-Rock/release/4100794
It was recently discovered (maybe you guys already know this) that the Interpak versions of album sleeves have a number sequence imprinted upside down on the back. See this picture: https://photos.app.goo.gl/jWEMqnBPAy6vwtUD6 (I can't figure out how to embed photos on this site)
At first it looked like a random number, but upon further investigation, it seems to be a date stamp. My South African version of Back In Black has 10 11 80 printed on it. Blow Up Your Video 5 22 88. Fly On The Wall 14 7 85.
Now it gets weird. My version of Let There Be Rock is printed with 23 7 82. Could it be a 1982 reprint? Sure, but in talking to other collectors we have found versions that also have 80 and 84 in them. These sleeves were printed in a very small number based on how many are in circulation, so it seems strange that there would be reprints in 1980, 1982, and 1984. They'd have to be really low runs. But the idea that they are reprints is plausible in that AC/DC did not get popular until 1979-1980 area, and the older albums were re-released around the world. I know Dirty Deeds didn't come out in the US until 1982.
Also making the reprint idea very plausible is that I found a South African Gary Numan LP that is 1982 reprint with a the stamp and a different colored sleeve. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/gary-numan-pleasure-principle-africa-267521018
Sorry this is getting long, but to deepen the mystery even further, a guy came out recently claiming to have been responsible for the SA pressings in 1977: https://needlesfromthehaystackblog.com/2017/02/05/how-i-accidentally-created-the-most-collectable-acdc-lp-on-earth/ I'm having a hard time believing that story though.
So there it is. Does anyone here know anything more about Interpak sleeve stamps, or this particular AC/DC pressing? Any theories or further info would be greatly appreciated by all of us AC/DC collectors!
Thanks!
