The current 10 most collectible PSB releases based on value
Here I list the ten currently most highly "collectible" Pet Shop Boys releases, at least as determined by recent sale prices that I've found using various online sources. It's limited strictly to official vinyl, cassette, and CD releases of PSB music. It does not include:
- bootlegs, interview recordings, videos, books, posters, clothing, or anything else other than official music releases;
- music releases in which the Boys were not the "primary artist" but rather involved in some other way, such as in the role of songwriters, producers, remixers, guests, collaborators, etc.;
- various-artists compilations that include PSB among others;
- specific examples of releases in which the value of those examples are enhanced on account of extraneous factors, such as autographs by Neil and/or Chris.
Value is always based on the assumption of the release in question being in "mint condition."
This list should not be considered "authoritative." I provide it—more for the sake of curiosity than anything else—merely as a non-definitive indication of the approximate value of the items listed as assessed by persons other than myself. Because the value and collectibility of these items may fluctuate widely and frequently, I plan on regularly rechecking and, as needed, updating this list from time to time—at least once every two or three months. If you become aware of the sale of any qualified item for a value higher than the least expensive item noted below and can cite online evidence, I will seriously consider updating this list using information you provide. I also of course reserve the right to delete this list from this website at any time if it should ever prove seriously problematic in any way.
Please note that I am not offering any of these items for sale myself—I don't even own any of them—nor am I in the market to purchase them.*
Items are ranked and listed in descending order of monetary value in U.S. dollars (rounded to the nearest dollar), with the most expensive listed first.
As of October 2023 :
| Rank | Value (US$) |
Title | Year | Country | Label | Description | |
1 |
$17,000 |
Yes | 2009 | U.K. | Parlophone/ The Vinyl Factory |
vinyl boxed set |  |
2 |
$10,200 |
Electric | 2013 | U.K. | The Vinyl Factory | vinyl boxed set |  |
3 |
$2,309 |
5 Songs from Our History - PopArt The Hits | 2003 | Japan | Parlophone | promo CD¹ |  |
4 |
$1,917 |
Disco 3 | 2003 | U.K. | Parlophone | promo vinyl boxed set with bonus 12-inch single of "Love to Love You, Baby" by Kiki Kokova² |  |
5 |
$1,762 |
Pet Shop Boys Compiled | 1993 | U.K. | Pet Shop Boys Partnership | promo CD³ |  |
6 |
$1,178 |
Smash | 2023 | U.K. | Parlophone | white-vinyl six-LP boxed set |  |
7 |
$1,100 |
Introspective | 1988 | U.K. | Parlophone | clear-vinyl three-disc set4 |  |
8 |
$1,068 |
PopArt | 2003 | France | Parlophone | vinyl three-disc set with "Paris City Boy" |  |
9 |
$1,067 |
Mega Mix | 1991 | Sweden | EMI | limited-edition promo megamix CD of various singles up through "DJ Culture" |  |
10 |
$1,012 |
"It Always Comes As a Surprise" | 1996 | Brazil | Parlophone | limited-edition promo single |  |
*I've never considered myself a PSB "collector" of anything other than information and songs—not assorted versions or releases of songs, but the songs themselves. For instance, if I already own a copy of a specific song in any officially released format, then an additional copy of that song on, say, colored vinyl doesn't appeal to me in the least. I will say, however, that my copy of one of the collectible items not on this list—the 12-inch vinyl single of "Before" with the "penis sleeve"—is among my most prized possessions.
¹An extremely rare five-track promo release, of which only 25 copies were reportedly produced to promote the release of PopArt in Japan.
²I know that I would seem to be violating one of my own rules for exclusion by including this item, seeing as how it includes a bonus 12-inch of the PSB production of "Love to Love You, Baby," by Sam Taylor-Wood in the guise of Kiki Kokova. But since Disco 3 itself is indisputably an official PSB release that meets my criteria in every other way, I'm allowing this exception. My rules, my exception.
³A five-track promo given away by BBC1 Radio to winners of a competition. Reportedly only 20 copies were produced. Most copies were signed by one or both of the Boys; because of this fact and its great rarity, the presence of their signatures doesn't appear to have any effect on its value.
4Another exceptionally rare release: reportedly only ten (!) copies were produced, distributed to certain EMI U.K. executives. The last time I'm aware of that one of these copies was offered up for sale, in 2014, the asking price was £800, which translates to approximately $1,100 in 2017 U.S. currency. The actual asking price, however, if an authentic copy were to go on sale today could well be significantly higher.
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