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Amazing original United Artists in-house gold record award, presented to "Ringo Starr, commemorating the first one million albums sold of the original motion picture soundtrack 'A Hard Day's Night,' 1964." Framed with its gold disc and engraved plaque to an overall size of 16.75 x 20. In very good to fine condition, with some light scratches to the frame and the glass recently replaced.
This award was issued to Ringo Starr on September 20, 1964, after the Beatles' final performance of their 1964 North American Tour. It was acquired by the current owner indirectly from Maureen Cox’s family (Ringo’s first wife).
In 1964, United Artists executive David Picker recognized the immense potential of the Beatles and spearheaded the production of their first feature film, A Hard Day’s Night. The film’s corresponding soundtrack album, released in the United States by United Artists on June 26, 1964, became an unprecedented success—selling over 5.3 million copies that year and dominating the Billboard charts for 14 consecutive weeks. Despite this massive achievement, United Artists was not a member of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) at the time and was therefore ineligible to receive official RIAA gold record certification. To honor the Beatles’ accomplishment, United Artists decided to create its own custom in-house gold record awards for the band.
These special awards were commissioned on a tight timeline as the Beatles’ 1964 U.S. tour drew to a close. Picker arranged for the awards to be presented on September 20, 1964, immediately following the Beatles’ final concert of the tour—a charity performance at the Paramount Theatre in New York City. Each of the four awards was meticulously crafted with a black and gold wooden frame, black felt matte, gold-plated metal record, and engraved brass plaque.
Because of the short production window, the awards were manufactured using available pressing plates from the United Artists record department rather than the original A Hard Day’s Night album plates. Nevertheless, their presentation carried significant symbolic weight, celebrating not only the band’s musical success but also the film’s cultural impact and the Beatles’ unparalleled popularity in America at the time.
The ceremony was captured by renowned music photographer William 'PoPsie' Randolph, whose images document the Beatles proudly holding their gold record awards backstage. The event was later featured in music industry trade publications, marking it as a notable moment in Beatles history. These in-house awards represent a unique chapter in the story of A Hard Day’s Night, reflecting United Artists’ ingenuity in commemorating one of the defining achievements of the Beatles’ early career.
Accompanied by a comprehensive report by Beatles specialist Mark Erbach, documenting the history of the piece.
From the Mark Erbach Collection.
