Once again, Wessex Auction Rooms has smashed the world record for the sale of this iconic single with an Easy Live Auction bidder on Lot 1010 of their 5th July sale!

In the world of vinyl collecting, few records generate as much excitement as The Sex Pistols' infamously rare "God Save The Queen" single. Originally signed with A&M Records in 1977, the band’s first single was set to be a punk anthem.

A staged signing ceremony in front of Buckingham Palace stirred so much controversy that A&M soon dropped the band, and destroyed all copies of the single...

... Or so it seemed.

A few copies survived, and in 1998 A&M Records handed a few of these golden handshake copies to departing executives while closing its London offices. It's believed that only 13-20 of these precious records exist, making them a "holy grail" for punk collectors.

In 2019, Wessex Auction Rooms sold one to an Easy Live Auction bidder for a then-world record of £16,400.

Fast forward to Friday, July 5th, 2024: Wessex Auction Rooms broke their own record by selling another of these rare singles for a staggering £24,320, including buyer’s premium—smashing their previous record by an increase of £8,000!

_{On 8th December 2022, Wessex Auction Rooms set their initial record at £16,400 for the rare withdrawn vinyl release of God Save the Queen.}

The vendor of this record had a unique history with The Sex Pistols. She first met the band in 1977 when they visited the A&M offices, where she had worked as a receptionist. She later became the PA to the Senior Vice President, staying until they both left in 1984.

She recalls:

"As I was clearing my desk, having seen the box of Sex Pistols singles in the bottom drawer (which had been sitting there since 1977), I thought it might be possible for me to take a few as they could in due course be worth something. I asked Derek (Green) if I could take some and he said yes." She added, "The current single being sold at Wessex Auction Rooms is my last one. I have been holding onto it for sentimental reasons, but I feel now is the time to part company with it. I am concerned it might one day go missing or be damaged."

So, the legendary A&M "vault" of these elusive records was, in fact, a box in a desk drawer!

This record was sold via Easy Live Auction as part of Wessex Auction Rooms' specialist auction of Punk & New Wave records and memorabilia. You can view the auction listing here.

^{Vinyl - Sex Pistols God Save The Queen - Original withdrawn 7" single on A&M Records.}

^{This highly sought-after record fetched £24,320 (inc. buyer's premium) at auction.}

Martin Hughes, vinyl record specialist and auctioneer at Wessex Auction Rooms, reflected on the sale: "I am fortunate to have handled the sale of a few of these records over the years, but the story behind this copy was fascinating. The Sex Pistols will forever be an important chapter in both music history and pop culture history, and this record will remain a holy grail item for any serious collector. I wouldn’t be surprised to be breaking the record again if I am lucky enough to get another copy under the hammer."

^{Martin Hughes, vinyl record specialist and auctioneer at Wessex Auction Rooms}

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View Wessex Auction Rooms' catalogues and upcoming auctions here