On the Record: Sex Pistols’ God Save the Queen — Identifying the Withdrawn 1977 A&M Single

Few punk records have a story quite like the Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen.” Before the song became a hit on Virgin Records, A&M prepared a UK seven-inch single and then withdrew it. Surviving A&M copies are highly sought after, but the famous label and sleeve have also appeared on later replicas. If you are trying to identify a copy, the details matter.

Why was the A&M single withdrawn?

The Sex Pistols signed to A&M in March 1977, but the relationship ended within days. Copies of “God Save the Queen” had already been prepared; the intended A&M release never reached shops in the usual way. The band subsequently signed to Virgin, which released its own single on 27 May 1977. Although that release arrived during the Silver Jubilee period, the Sex Pistols’ official discography says its timing was not originally planned around the celebrations.

Accounts often say that approximately 25,000 A&M copies were pressed and most were destroyed. Treat that as a reported figure rather than a verified count. The exact number of surviving originals is also uncertain: the frequently repeated claim that only nine exist is too precise to use as a reliable identification or valuation guide.

1977 A&M or 1977 Virgin: which single do you have?

• Withdrawn UK A&M pressing: Catalogue number AMS 7284; “God Save the Queen” backed with “No Feeling”. Documented examples have A&M labels, a black die-cut company sleeve and a serrated anti-slip ring around the label.
• Commercial UK Virgin single: Catalogue number VS 181; “God Save the Queen” backed with “Did You No Wrong”. Its familiar blue and silver picture sleeve belongs to the Virgin release, not the withdrawn A&M original.

“No Feeling” is the B-side wording documented on original A&M auction copies. You may also encounter “No Feelings” in descriptions of the song or later products. Check the particular edition in front of you rather than using that wording alone as an authenticity test.

How to assess a claimed original A&M copy

1. Photograph both labels. Confirm the A&M design, AMS 7284 and the listed tracks. A label photograph is a starting point, not proof of a 1977 pressing.
2. Inspect the runouts on both sides. The runout is the smooth area between the final groove and the label. Omega Auctions documented an original with markings transcribed as AMS-7284 A-2 and AMS-7284-B-1, with 7284 etched twice on the B-side. Compare clear images of the complete markings; spaces and punctuation can differ between transcriptions.
3. Check the record and sleeve together. Documented originals show a serrated anti-slip ring and a black A&M company sleeve. A sleeve can be switched, and no single visible feature establishes the record’s age.
4. Establish provenance. Ask for the ownership history and any supporting paperwork. The Omega example came with a letter identifying its former owner. For a record of this value, an independent assessment of the physical copy is sensible before purchase.

Watch for later A&M-style editions

The withdrawn single has been reproduced. A replica was included with a 2012 Never Mind the Bollocks box set, and an officially issued silver-vinyl A&M-style edition appeared in 2022. An A&M logo, a familiar sleeve or a seller’s “rare” description therefore cannot date a copy to 1977. Ask for photographs of both labels, the vinyl colour, both complete runouts and the packaging, then match those details to the claimed edition.

What is an original worth?

There is no dependable fixed price for such a scarce record. As one documented example, the A&M copy described above sold at Omega Auctions in October 2023 for a £16,500 hammer price. That is a historical sale of a particular copy with stated condition and provenance, not a current valuation for every example. Compare completed sales and obtain an expert assessment if you have a plausible original.

The Virgin single has its own place in punk history: it reached number two on the UK singles chart. Claims that it was deliberately held off number one remain disputed. For collectors, the A&M story is remarkable enough without treating the chart allegation, a surviving-copy count or future price growth as established facts.

Want to investigate another record? Read our guide to identifying first pressings, or browse punk vinyl at Heathen Records.