Here we go.
This is the second entry in my Sex Pistols record collection series.
And of course, this time it’s the iconic track —
God Save The Queen, first released by Virgin Records under catalogue number VS181, in its original UK first pressing.
👑 God Save the Queen (Virgin VS181)
The condition of this particular sleeve is quite rough — with handwritten notes scribbled on it 😓
🧷 Basic Info
- Title: God Save the Queen
- Artist: Sex Pistols
- Format: 7-inch Single (45 RPM)
- Release Date: 27 May 1977
- Label / Catalog No.: Virgin VS181
- Sleeve: Picture sleeve
🧷 Tracks:
- Side A: God Save The Queen
- Side B: Did You No Wrong
🧷 Pressing & Variation Details
✔️ Matrix Numbers (Runout Etchings)
- VS-181-A-1 / VS-181-B-1 (First press)
✔️ Label Variants
- First Press: Blue label with silver text on both sides
- Second Press: Blue label with white text on A-side, silver on B-side
- Third Press: Blue label with white text on both sides
✔️ Anti-Slip Ring (Ridge Texture)
- First Press: Angular-edged serrated ring
- Later Pressings: Rounded anti-slip rings (common in later batches)
💡 The anti-slip ring helps stabilise the record on the turntable and ensures accurate stylus tracking.
✔️ Sleeve Design
Designed by Jamie Reid, the sleeve features a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II with her eyes and mouth obscured — a classic piece of punk visual history.
Apparently, it’s been nicknamed the “Blind Queen” sleeve in some circles (cheers to @rubbishflower for the info 🙏).
This was new to me — I’d only associated the safety pin design (pierced lips) with God Save The Queen shirts — also known as the “Safety Pin Queen”.
Also worth noting: some French Barclay pressings used the Safety Pin Queen sleeve instead. Curious choice — not sure why it was used there.
And here’s a fine detail for the die-hards:
There are two versions of the sleeve entry cut — one straight, one rounded.
This likely reflects differences in manufacturing plants.
🧷 Sound Quality:
Personally, I like the analogue feel of this pressing, but I don’t find it drastically different from the CD version — unlike Anarchy, which felt punchier.
That said, the worn condition of my copy actually adds to the vibe 👍
🧷 Collector’s Notes:
Originally planned for release under A&M Records, the contract was terminated before launch — the Virgin pressing (VS181) is what finally hit the shelves.
The UK first pressing (matrix A1 / B1) saw around 50,000 copies produced.
While not ultra-rare, it’s still the definitive original.
My own copy has the correct A1 / B1 matrix but was… “modified” — the solid centre was crudely punched out to make a makeshift large-hole version (commonly referred to as NOC: Not Original Centre).
The punching job is rough, and this isn’t one of the known UK-manufactured NOCs with clean cut and label alignment, so I suspect someone forcibly converted it for jukebox use 😓
At the time, I had no idea and assumed it was standard. Finding out later was… a bit of a shock.
Still, I eventually managed to get a proper solid centre copy.
Though — spoiler — that one has its own mystery, which I’ll share in the next post.
💡 Bonus: The Legendary A&M Pressing (AMS 7284)
The unreleased A&M version — withdrawn just before release — is a true holy grail.
Reportedly fewer than 100 copies survived.
In 2024, one sold at auction for a record-breaking £24,320 — nearly ¥4.7 million.
🔜 Coming Next:
Next time, I’ll feature another pressing of God Save The Queen (VS181) with a unique twist.
Stay tuned.
byebye 👋
For collectors interested in Japanese editions
If you are drawn to the design and information found on Japanese releases, particularly obi strips, you may want to take a look at my Never Mind The Bollocks Japanese CD OBI Gallery.
This page organises each obi strip variation issued for the album individually, presenting the obi itself as the main focus in a collector-oriented reference format.
It is intended as an entry point for those interested in Japanese obi strips.
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