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A Record Collector's Guide


Sub Pop Promos and Strangely-Numbered Items

SP 1000 Tad

Jack Pepsi b/w Plague Years

Sub Pop SP1000 7", released 1990 (U.S.)

This was a promo-only release that Sub Pop included with one of the original singles club singles. It was released in 1990 on black vinyl. It had no picture sleeve. Limited to 3,000 copies and pretty easy to find.

Version Approximate value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
SP1000 Black 2-4 1 Stable
Sleeve Plain white paper

This page was last updated on October 27, 2019.

SP2000 Beat Happening

Nancy Sin b/w Left Behind

Sub Pop SP2000 7", released 1990 (U.S.)

Another promo-only release from 1990. Same deal as the Tad single. Black vinyl. No sleeve. 3,500 copies.

Version Approximate value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
SP2000 Black 2-4 1 Stable
Test Pressing
Sleeve Plain white paper

This page was last updated on October 27, 2019.

SP3000 Eric's Trip

Notes from Stereo Mountain

The Meeting/Sail Boat b/w The Tub/She Came Back To Me

Sub Pop SP3000 7", released 1994 (U.S.)

There is a back story with this promo that I didn't know all that well. Word is it was intended for independent release, but was then released by Sub Pop. Supposedly, it was included with mail-order copies of the Eric's Trip "Forever Again" album. I do know that it is very rare, and has always made Eric's Trip collectors salivate. I once heard that there were 1,000 of these pressed, but I find that difficult to believe, due to its scarcity. The sleeve is a black & white comic book, which corresponds with the songs. The value seems to stay within the same general range, but bounces all over the place in that range.

Version Approximate value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
SP3000 Black 35-65 8 Volatile
Sleeve Paper comic book

This page was last updated on October 27, 2019.

SP4000 Sunny Day Real Estate/Shudder To Think Split 7"

  

In Circles b/w X French Tee Shirt

Sub Pop SP4000 7", released 1994 (U.S.)

There were 2000 of these promos pressed on black vinyl, but there were some color variations in the sleeves. The fronts of the sleeves were stamped with the basic information about the single, while on the backs, there were stamps detailing tour dates for the two bands. The sleeve variations were: 1. front - red ink/back - blue ink, 2. front - red ink/back - blue ink, 3. front & back - black ink. The collecting community does not really seem to differentiate between the different sleeves. This one used to sell for a few bucks, but has come way down.

Version Approximate value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
SP4000 Black (Red/Blue Ink Sleeve) 6-10 3 Down
SP4000 Black (Red/Green Ink Sleeve) 6-10 3 Down
SP4000 Black (Black Ink Sleeve) 6-10 3 Down
Sleeve Paper full

This page was last updated on October 27, 2019.

SP5000 Red Red Meat

Oxtail b/w Wishing (If I Had a Photograph of You)

Sub Pop SP5000 7", released 1995 (U.S.)

Black vinyl promo, not too hard to find. I think the b-side is a Flock of Seagulls cover or something.

Version Approximate value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
SP5000 Black 4-6 3 Stable

This page was last updated on October 27, 2019.

SP1776 V/A

Helter Shelter

Sub Pop SP1776 4x7" Box Set, released 1995 (U.S.)

Contained within: the four Brit-pop singles: SP 275 - Elastica, SP 276 - S*M*A*S*H, SP 281 - Supergrass and SP 294 - Gene. The out-of-numerical-order catalogue number was a nod to the year of the Declaration of Independence...for no good reason other than it was the U.S. releasing UK bands...

Anyway, this set was a big collector-dork tease. They claimed initially that there were 250 of these, if I recall correctly. I can't see that as being remotely possible, considering that you can buy this now, many years later, on every vinyl-vending web site, in sealed condition...for less than or equal to the original retail price. Something doesn't add up, folks. Granted, Sub Pop sold out of it very quickly. I bought two copies from that initial pressing thinking I had a solid collectible. I still have one of those sealed...yet the value has never really increased. In fact, it now sells for well below the original retail price. Maybe the label pressed more copies later or something. I don't know.

This one really bugs me. I don't think I have ever been more incorrect about the projected value of a collectible. The set royally screwed up the market for the records contained within...all it did was drive down the values of all of the individual singles (and, simultaneously, itself). It didn't help that all of the bands fell out of style either due to fickle fan bases with really short attention spans.

Right. SO...contained in the box set are all four singles, in the same colors that the individual releases had. If there were variants, the box set generally held clear colors. If there were opaque versions, those were more often sold as individual singles (the S*M*A*S*H single, for example, mostly came in straight clear green in the box set, and mostly appeared as olive green individually). They were all housed in the same cardboard inner sleeves that they came with as individual singles, but without the outer cardboard sleeves. Well, the set contained ONE of those, which held a booklet.

Version Approximate value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
SP1776 Box Set 10-15 2 Down
Insert
Booklet
SP275 Elastica
SP276 S*M*A*S*H
SP281 Supergrass
SP294 Gene
Sleeves Full cardboard x 4, one cardboard outer sleeve, and a cardboard box containing the whole set.

This page was last updated on October 27, 2019.

SUB PRO#77 Sebadoh

Flame (Remix Radio Version) b/w Saltwater Garden

Sub Pop SUB PRO#77 7", released 1998 (U.S.)

Sebadoh promo - black vinyl. Somewhat rare, but no longer pricey.

Version Approximate value ($) Scarcity Price Trending
SUB PRO#77 Black 6-10 5 Stable
Sleeve Plain red paper

This page was last updated on October 27, 2019.

 Sub Pop Singles: Last Page
Sub Pop Singles Club V1
Sub Pop Singles Club V2
Sub Pop Index
Home

Scarcity Score Definition
10 Near impossible: Fewer than 50 copies or publicly sold every few years
8-9 Very rare: 50-199 copies or publicly sold 1-2 times per year
6-7 Rare: 200-499 copies or publicly sold a few times a year
4-5 Medium: 500-999 copies or publicly sold ~10 times a year
1-3 Common: 1000+ copies, readily available, or publicly sold 20+ times a year

Estimated values are based on recent auction results or online sales. Commercial use of images on this site is not permitted. Non-commercial use of images permitted, with attribution to Pette Discographies. All images copyright their respective owners.