Mercury 20000 Series B Summary

This series was just preceded by 20000 Series A. The time was around 1960.

At that time, Stereo records were getting popular slowly, so the numbering scheme had been changed. Monaural records were sequentially numbered from MG-20600, while Stereo records' numbers were from SR-60600 in line. This scheme was used when the Monaural issues were faded out in the late 1960's.

Label Variations

Black label with silver letterings (and round-shaped Mercury logo) was the original. However, in sync with the jacket design change (around 20800 or so? needs confirmation), the label had been dramatically changed to red label with black letterings. Some of them were red labels with black and white letterings.

For detail, please take a look at here.

Jacket Design Variations

Around the start of Series B (MG-20600/SR-60600), the "Obi"-like logos was slightly changed: “MERCURY STEREO” (instead of “STEREO”) at the top for stereo issues, and “MERCURY hi-fidelity” (instead of “HIGH FIDELITY”) at the bottom for monaural issues.

At the time of this writing, I don't know the “exact” album that new thick Obi was placed for the first time. In my current collection, SR-60626 is the most recent album which has an old style thick Obi, while older album MG-20605, although its matrix number says it maybe is first press, already has a new style thick Obi.

Around 1963 or so, unique "Obi" design got narrower with small letterings. This change was maybe in sync with the label design change (with an introduction to Red Mercury label).. Such "Obi" design continued to be used until monaural issues were faded out.

Some re-issues in the 1960's got the jacket design changed to be narrow-type "Obi". Here is one example.

MG-20662 (Mono, 1st design)	MG-20662 (Mono, 2nd design)
Firstly issued in this design...	...and in the second issue, “obi” get narrower.