Folder 127

Japan

Japan 'Pastmasters II' budget CD reissue, Toshiba-EMI - identified by the absence of the promo's own defining markers, the same logic as folder 126's copy of this release.

Catalogue: TOCP-6341
Label: EMI, manufactured by Toshiba-EMI (pressed at the Toshiba EMI Gotenba plant)
Released: 1990
Confidence: Confirmed
Why this grade
Catalogue number, barcode, label code and rear-cover date code all match, but those four are shared with a second Japanese TOCP-6341 row on the cached version list, release 15196533, a promo variant of the same pressing. Correction after review: the mirror-ring matrix read off this copy, TOCP-6341 1A4 TO, does NOT discriminate between the two -- the promo's own fetched Discogs record carries this exact matrix string too, so it corroborates the TOCP-6341/1A4 family rather than confirming which of the two releases this is (the same non-discriminator folder 126's copy of this release already correctly treated its own 1A2 stamper as). What actually confirms it is what confirmed folder 126's copy: Discogs' notes for 15196533 read 'Japan PROMO issue includes extra promo text around the centre rim of the disc plus a small promo sticker on the back inlay,' and this copy's disc face and rear inlay carry neither -- clean, standard retail copy, obi priced at Y1,970.
Reference: Discogs 3264667
Median sale: DKK 95
Sale range: DKK 47-292
On sale now: 13, from DKK 104
Last sold: 26 July 2026

What the record says

Every line below was read off a native-resolution crop of the photograph named beside it.

Mirror ring photographed and read at native resolution. IMG_2543 shows the etched string TOCP-6341 1A4 TO, matching 3264667's own 'Variant 2' matrix/runout identifier. Checked against the promo release's own fetched Discogs record during review: 15196533 carries this same matrix string, so it corroborates the TOCP-6341/1A4 family rather than deciding between the two candidates -- what decides it is the absence of the promo's rim text and sticker (see dist).

TOCP-6341 1A4 TO — this copy's ring IS Variant 2 of the 2 matrix entries Discogs records.

Barcode and Other Identifiers: Matrix / Runout

As Discogs records them for release 3264667. Green: in my collection (1 of 2). Red: missing.

✓	Matrix / Runout (Variant 2)	`TOCP-6341 1A4 TO` — this copy
✗	Matrix / Runout (Variant 1)	`TOCP-6341 1A3 TO`

Every line of small print, and the photograph it came from — 10 of them

Front cover with obi, obi text: TOCP-6341 STEREO, ¥1,970 (special price box), PASTMASTERS II

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Obi spine, full: TOCP-6341 STEREO, ¥1,970 / tax-excl ¥1,913, boxed EMI, PASTMASTERS II

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Rear tray card, boxed date code at native resolution: X~91・8・23 C・8・24

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Rear tray card corner: STEREO 東芝EMI株式会社 MADE IN JAPAN, boxed EMI

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Obi spine barcode, native resolution: 4988006648463

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Disc face: PASTMASTERS II / IRON MAIDEN / POWERSLAVE, boxed EMI, MFD. BY TOSHIBA-EMI LTD. IN JAPAN, ℗1984 ORIGINAL SOUND RECORDINGS MADE BY EMI RECORDS LTD., ©1984 IRON MAIDEN(HOLDINGS) LTD., full 8-track tracklist

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Disc face rim, native crop: TOCP-6341 over CDP 7 460452 over STEREO

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Disc inner mirror ring, native crop, read directly off the object: TOCP-6341 1A4 TO

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Booklet p.8/9, recording credits: Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Martin "Pool Bully" Birch, Recorded at Compass Point, Nassau, Bahamas, Mixed at Electric Ladyland, New York, Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, New York

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No promo rim text and no promo sticker anywhere on disc face or rear inlay - standard retail obi and pricing only

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The photographs

IMG_2532.jpg1 of 21READ FROM

The object, and what marks it out

Sleeve, labels and inserts

Obi strip - present, full-length, red/black/yellow 'PASTMASTERS II' campaign band with special price ¥1,970.
Jewel case - standard, clear tray, cracked-hinge-free in photos.
16-page booklet - full Japanese/English lyric booklet with Japanese liner notes (dated 84.8.1, credited to 伊藤政則/MASA-ITO), full lyric transcriptions in English with Japanese translations (訳: 渡辺淳), band photo, personnel list, and the standard Derek Riggs/EMI credits page.
Disc - silver-face 'Pastmasters II' Iron Maiden Powerslave label design, standard tracklist print, no visible defects.

What distinguishes this pressing

Absence of promo rim text and promo sticker - release 15196533 (the Japan promo, same catno) is documented by Discogs as carrying 'extra promo text around the centre rim of the disc plus a small promo sticker on the back inlay'; neither appears on this copy. This is the actual discriminator between the two candidates.
Mirror-ring matrix TOCP-6341 1A4 TO - read directly off the disc, matches Discogs' 'Variant 2' identifier for release 3264667. Correction after review: this does NOT discriminate on its own -- the promo release's own fetched record carries the identical TOCP-6341 1A4 TO matrix string, so it corroborates the family rather than confirming which release this is.
Barcode 4988006648463, label code CDP 7 460452, rear-cover date code X~91-8-23 C-8-24 - all three match 3264667's recorded identifiers exactly, but all three are shared with the promo row too, so on their own they only narrow to two candidates, not one.

Eight tracks, and the recording credits

Tracks 1-4

1Aces High
22 Minutes To Midnight
3Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)
4Flash Of The Blade

Tracks 5-8

5The Duellists
6Back In The Village
7Powerslave
8Rime Of The Ancient Mariner

Bruce Dickinson - vocals · Dave Murray - lead and rhythm guitar · Adrian Smith - lead and rhythm guitar · Steve Harris - bass · Nicko McBrain - drums.

Produced, engineered and mixed by Martin Birch, assisted by Bruce Buchhalter and Frank Gibson. Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound. Recorded at Compass Point Studios, Nassau; mixed at Electric Lady Studios, New York. Sleeve illustration by Derek Riggs; sleeve and design concept by Derek Riggs, Iron Maiden and Rod Smallwood. Photography by Moshe Brakha. Published by Zomba Music Publishers Ltd.

Personnel and studio credits are sourced from Discogs release 1846534, the UK original, and apply to the recording rather than to this pressing. Where this copy's own packaging carries the producer, publisher or copyright lines, they are quoted in the evidence above.

Condition, from the photographs

A photograph cannot grade a record - this is a description of what is visible, not a grade.

Case/inlay: general handling wear with some edge and corner softening; no cracks or splits visible in these shots.
Disc: light surface marks and handling sheen catch the light. No visible deep scratches or disc-face damage in these photographs.

Nothing on this page comes from playing the record. No Goldmine grade is claimed for it, or any other. I have no record of where this copy came from.

What is settled, and what is not

Confirmed. Catalogue number, barcode, label code and rear-cover date code place this copy on the Japan TOCP-6341 family, but that family has two rows on the cached version list: the standard 1990 reissue (3264667) and a promo pressing of the same catalogue number (15196533) that Discogs distinguishes only by extra rim text and a promo sticker. This copy shows neither, which is what confirms the standard reissue. Correction after review: the mirror-ring matrix read off this disc, TOCP-6341 1A4 TO, was first treated as an independent confirmation, but the promo's own fetched Discogs record carries this exact same matrix string, so it corroborates the family rather than deciding between the two rows -- the same non-discriminator role folder 126's copy of this release already correctly gave its own stamper variant. Standing caveat: the version list is incomplete by construction and cannot exclude an uncatalogued pressing.