Folder 14
Italy
1988 Italian issue on the globe label, S.I.A.E.
What the record says
Every line below was read off a native-resolution crop of the photograph named beside it.
Run-out read by eye by the owner, 2026-09-30 - not photographed. Side A 7902581-A-14-3-88 I ▵ IRON MAIDEN MS, side B 7902581-B-14-3-88 I ▵ IRON MAIDEN MS. Discogs records two variants for release 4438864; the ▵ and the MS signature make this variant 2.
Barcode and Other Identifiers: Matrix / Runout
As Discogs records them for release 4438864. Green: in my collection (2 of 4). Red: missing.
Run-out: this copy matches variant 1 on every side Discogs lists for it.
| ✓ | Matrix / Runout (Side A, variant 1) | 7902581-A-14-3-88 I IRON MAIDEN — this copy |
| ✓ | Matrix / Runout (Side B, variant 1) | 7902581-B-14-3-88 I IRON MAIDEN — this copy |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Side A, variant 2) | 7902581-A-14-3-88 I ▵ IRON MAIDEN [MS signature] |
| ✗ | Matrix / Runout (Side B, variant 2) | 7902581-B-14-3-88 I ▵ IRON MAIDEN [MS signature] |
Every line of small print, and the photograph it came from — 6 of them
Label: 64 7902581 with B below the rule
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Label: S.I.A.E. in a box
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Label rim: MADE IN ITALY BY EMI ITALIANA SPA
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Label rim: ALL RIGHTS OF THE PRODUCER AND OWNER OF THE WORK RESERVED. UNAUTHORISED COPYING, HIRING, RENTING, PUBLIC PERFORMANCE AND BROADCASTING OF THIS RECORD PROHIBITED
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Label: EMI in box, 33⅓ RPM, OTHER SIDE / THIS SIDE track split
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Label: Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Martin Birch · All titles published by Zomba Music Publishers Ltd. · ℗ 1988 Original sound recordings made by EMI Records Ltd. · © 1988 Iron Maiden (Holdings) Ltd.
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The photographs
IMG_0661.jpg1 of 6READ FROM
The object, and what marks it out
Sleeve, labels and inserts
- Outer sleeve - single, standard artwork.
- Inner sleeve - present, printed both sides.
- Labels - the EMI globe design in yellow, green and blue, with
S.I.A.E.and the Italian catalogue number added.
What distinguishes this pressing
S.I.A.E.- the Italian authors' society, boxed on the label.MADE IN ITALY BY EMI ITALIANA SPA- the local manufacturing statement.64 7902581- the 1988 Italian catalogue number. Compare folder 17, the later Italian reissue, which carries54 7902581on a cream label.- It keeps the globe artwork label of the 1988 issues, where the Italian reissues moved to plain cream labels. Folders 14 and 17 side by side show the change clearly.
Eight tracks, two sides, and the recording credits
Side A
- A1Moonchild
- A2Infinite Dreams
- A3Can I Play With Madness
- A4The Evil That Men Do
Side B
- B1Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
- B2The Prophecy
- B3The Clairvoyant
- B4Only The Good Die Young
Bruce Dickinson - vocals · Dave Murray - lead and rhythm guitar · Adrian Smith - lead and rhythm guitar, synth · Steve Harris - bass, string synth · Nicko McBrain - drums.
Produced, engineered and mixed by Martin Birch. Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound, New York. Recorded at Musicland Studios, Munich. Sleeve illustration, concept and design by Derek Riggs (with Rod Smallwood). Inner-sleeve photograph by Ross Halfin. Published by Zomba Music Publishers Ltd.
Personnel and studio credits are sourced from Discogs release 576952, the UK original, and apply to the recording rather than to this pressing. The producer, publisher and copyright lines are independently corroborated by this copy's own label, quoted above.
Condition, from the photographs
A photograph cannot grade a record - this is a description of what is visible, not a grade.
- Sleeve: general handling wear with some edge and corner softening; no splits or seam separation visible in these shots.
- Vinyl: light surface marks and handling sheen catch the light. No visible deep scratches, warping or edge damage in these photographs. The labels are clean and unmarked.
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
Italy and catalogue 64 7902581 are certain. Discogs lists several Italian editions; the label design separates them:
How the other candidates were ruled out
| Candidate | Verdict |
|---|---|
4438864 - Italy, 1988, 64 79 0258 1 | Best match. The 1988 issue, with the standard globe label as here. |
| 4452190 - Italy, 1989 reissue | Ruled out on the label: Discogs states it was “released in creme labels”, with a matte cover. |
| 703403 and 29216335 - reissues | Ruled out: both are cream-label reissues carrying 54 on the label. |
The label alone left this at Probable: globe against cream separates this copy from the reissues but is not a detail Discogs records specifically against 4438864.
Settled by the run-out. Discogs records the 1988 Italian issue as etched 7902581-A-14-3-88 I IRON MAIDEN - a March 1988 date - against 7902581 - A - 12-10-89 II IRON MAIDEN for the reissues. The owner read this copy's deadwax by eye on 2026-09-30: 7902581-A-14-3-88 I ▵ IRON MAIDEN MS, the March 1988 date, so Confirmed. The ▵ and MS signature match Discogs' variant 2 of this release. Folder 17, the reissue, reads 12-10-89 II, so the two copies agree with each other as well. The reading was not photographed.