u2-3.com _ the famous 1000

On this site you will find all the infos about this release. The goal is to post a list with all known facts about the “famous 1000”, which became one of the most collectible singles in rock and roll history!

No.	Pen Colour	Location	Additional Info
007	black	Wrexham (Wales)
Just bought off the original owner who bought it from Golden Disks Cork, Ireland. David was in a band called “Urban Blitz” at the time who played the same venue the Arcadia known as the Ark where U2 played when they first played in Cork.

009	black	-- (Ireland)
I bought my Copy in Golden Discs in Cork close to it’s release in 1979. Good condition and I have not played it since the 80s.

010	black	London (United Kingdom)

017	black	Dublin (Ireland)
I bought the single when I was 13 years old in Advance Records shop. The shop used to be at an entrance to (St. Stephens Green) Dandelion Market in Dublin, where as you know, U2 used to play. I had to ask my parents for permission to see them play there. I had a collection of posters for the gigs and the single which I took from near the entrance walls and also from the guys in Advance that I pestered. Sadly, I stupidly gave the posters away when I was still a teenager. A long time ago now!Advance was a great record shop back then, when there were very few record shops around town. It was the “Punk Rock / New Wave” shop.

020	black	San Diego (CA, USA)

028	black	Dallas (Texas, USA)

031	black	-- (Texas, USA)

040	black	Dublin (Ireland)
I bought this in Pat Egan's Sound Cellar in Nassau Street Dublin on the day it was released. I was 14 years old at the time. I'd seen them at a Saturday afternoon gig for kids at the Dandelion Market. The Pat James Rock Show on the (pirate) Radio Dublin held a vote for which song was to be the A side. It was released on a Wednesday, which was a half day in school so I had time to get into town and shell out my £1.49. I think that's why I got one of the lower numbers, probably the first buyer of the Sound Cellar's batch.

046	black	Monza (Italy)	signed copy

053	black	Cremona (Italy)
The original owner bought it for 50p from the bargain bin of Golden Discs in Talbot Street, Dublin shortly after its release in 1979. I acquired it from him in November 2014 and got Bono’s and Adam’s signature on front sleeve on 1st September 2015 outside of the Pala Alpitour in Turin where the band was rehearsing for the two shows that opened the European Leg of the I+E Tour.

063	black	Nantes (France)

065	black	Dublin (Ireland)

068	black	Rhenen (Netherlands)

101	black	Warwickshire (United Kingdom)	This copy was signed by the band in 1979 making it a very early example of the band’s signatures. Bono also added the comment “You’ll See Soon!” and dated it “79”.

102	black	-- (California, USA)

104	black	--

115	black	--	Record is in very good condition, no scratches; the sleeve in in good condition with a few marks but the label is very clear.

129	black	Dallas (Texas, USA)

143	black	-- (Spain)	Condition: very good
Note from the original owner: I bought the record at a record store called Freebird Records. I was a 15 years in when the record was released. U2 would play afternoon shows for a teenage audience at the Dandelion Market at weekends. Along with other bands. So I saw them three times over the winter of '79 and '80. And again in the summer of '80 when they played support to the Police at an outdoor concert at Lexlip Castle outside Dublin. Bono climbed over the speakers and up the lighting rig and they stole the show.

147	black	-- (United Kingdom)

153	black	-- (Texas, USA)

155	black	-- (Belgium)

160	black	Bristol (United Kingdom)

165	black	Dallas (Texas, USA)

166	black	-- (Italy)

169	black	-- (Texas, USA)

171	black	-- (Texas, USA)

172	black	-- (The Netherlands)

180	black	Wielsbeke (Belgium)

191	black	Dublin (Ireland)
Bought in Dublin around 1999 in Comet Records for 1200 Irish Pounds.

199	black	Turin (Italy)

207	black	Navan (Ireland)	Condition: good, the number 51 is written in ink on the back top left corner!
I bought it in Dolphin Discs in Marlborough St., Dublin, probably within a month of it being released. I went to Mount Temple (1980); Larry was in the year ahead of me in school.

208	black	British Columbia (Canada)	Condition: a previous owner has stamped a small green shamrock & red lips on the label, both sides.

209	black	--

213	black	-- (Texas, USA)

216	black	Bisceglie (Italy)
It was bought from Advance Records in Dublin’s Dandelion Market.

223	black	Dallas (Texas, USA)

225	black	Le Roy (NY, USA)	Condition: very good
It was originally purchased at Murray’s Records on Grafton Street, Dublin, on the day of release in 1979.

228	black	Slane (Ireland)

230	black	-- (Italy)

231	black	-- (Texas, USA)

242	black	Gent (Belgium)

250	black	-- (FL, USA)
I am a long time U2 collector. I started collecting when I was young – in 1983. Through the music collecting magazine “Goldmine” I met a fellow U2 fan / collector who was selling some rare U2 items (this guy lived in the USA and he lived in the midwest). This was in the early 90s (1992 or 1993). I bought a few items from him, and in our letters to each other back and forth he told me, that he had two of the numbered U23 12" singles. One was a higher number – I think in the 800s? I dont really remember, but he also told me he had a lower # issue (#250). He had both for sale at the time and I bought #250. I have had it in my possession ever since.

268	blue	-- (Texas, USA)

285	blue	-- (Texas, USA)
[statement from the original buyer; see also No. 957]Both were in Dublin and both bought by me upon release. I still have a handwritten receipt from Advance Records for leaving a deposit on one copy. The other was bought in Golden Discs in Stillorgan. One of the records was warped and my mother took it to Adam's mother (family friends) and Adam's mother swapped it for one in Adam's bedroom … true story! Only thing is I don't know which one.

286	blue	Monza (Italy)
[statement from the original buyer] I bought No. 286 of the very first pressing – Adam was in my class at school, so my brother and I used to follow the band in the early days of the Dandelion Market. I had the 12 inch single for many years before losing it, I believe in a house move in Belfast. I bought it from a record shop (now long closed down) at the top of Dawson Street in Dublin. I hope that whoever has it now is looking after it well!

287	blue	México City (México)	Vinyl is in very good ++ condition, no scratches.

296	blue	Dallas (Texas, USA)

298	blue	Dallas (Texas, USA)

306	blue	Bologna (Italy)

310	blue	Saarbrücken (Germany)	Condition is still very good
Bought in Golden Discs Limerick on day of release.

311	blue	Cork (Ireland)
Found it in a friends collection in 1997. I told him what it was and how significant it is. Three days later he gave it to me framed.

318	blue	Vilanova del Camí (Spain)
I bought this jewel from a local collector in Madrid. He got it at Cork when he stayed to study in the first 80’s.

367	blue	Helmond (Netherlands)	Condition: the cover is a little worn, but the record is in good condition.
I entered Dave Fanning’s radio show competition to decide the A-Side. I remember voting ‘politically’, as I personally preferred Stories For Boys, but knew Out Of Control was going to win out. No-one thought Boy/Girl was ever going to make the A-Side! I think the record was sent to me for winning, and I also won two tickets to see them in Limerick, at a school on the Crescent on O’Connell St – that was their first ever Irish national tour. I’d seen them in Dublin before then at the Dandelion Market (with DC Nein, I think?), but this was the first time anyone could see them outside Dublin. At the gig, there were about 50 people to begin with, and about 25 by the time the gig finished, IIRC.

368	blue	-- (Brazil)

391	blue	San Diego (CA, USA)
I purchased 391 on eBay in September 2013 from the original owner. I met the owner via Skype before completing the purchase. The original owner was Frank Kearns (former classmate of U2 / founder of Frankie Corpse and the Undertakers / Cactus World News). Frank Kearns said “Although I received a copy of U2-3 as a gift I still went ahead and bought my own one in Golden Discs Dublin to support my mates. U2's first Irish tour was in May 1980 and my group, The Mystermen, toured as U2's support band. U2-3 marks an important milestone in the journey of U2 towards greatness and this copy contains the essence of that special time.”

392	blue	London (United Kingdom)
I bought it new in Carlow town, Ireland, back in 1979. It was my first few weeks at college, away from home. I wondered around the town one late afternoon and walked into a record shop which was closing up for the day. I couldn't believe my luck when I saw this for sale. I asked how much and the very nice man said £1.49. But I only had £1.40 with me (I was a poor student). Luckily the very nice man said forget about the 9p and off I went, much cheered up. I have had it ever since. It is not mint, after all I have played it quite a bit, but it is in very good condition.

398	blue	-- (Texas, USA)

415	blue	Manchester (United Kingdom)

417	blue	London (United Kingdom)
In August 1979 I entered Dave Fannings competition on RTE Radio 2 to name the A & B sides. Couldn’t believe my luck when I won a copy. I was off somewhere (student travels) when the disk arrived in the post but mammy wasn’t very happy with condition as it was all twisted and buckled. So she sent it back to RTE or whoever. A replacement duly arrived, also a bit buckled, so back it went too. Third time lucky, no 417 was perfect. And still is.

419	blue	Venice (Italy)
I bought this U2 Three from an Irish man. I asked him to tell me how he had it to reconstruct the history of this U2 Three, no. 419. The mother of his wife in the '70s, '80s was a producer of the famous “The Late Late Show” on RTE2. When U2 made their first appearance on the show on January 15, 1980, his wife was 9 years old and she was at the show when u2 played live. Because her mother worked on the show, she got the record from the band and gave it to her daughter Catherine. She really regrets not getting the band to sign the record at the time. When Catherine moved to San Francisco in 1987, she put all of her records in her Mom's attic where they have been sitting until about 6 months ago when we bought a turntable. Initially they did not know what it could be worth, then, when they found out they decided to sell it and so ... now it's mine!

434	blue	Belfast (Northern Ireland)
I voted in the Dave Fanning poll to define the A side of this EP. I didn’t win a copy but did buy two copies in September 1979 when it came out at the Record Centre in Bridge Street, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland. I sent one of them to a DJ friend in L.A., who played her copy on KPFK Los Angeles radio. I expect she still has her copy in LA. I kept my copy, number 434. It is in excellent condition and has been preserved well in a plastic record sleeve. There isn’t a scratch on it. I have many great records from the 70s and 80s, but this is special.

439	blue	-- (Texas, USA)

443	blue	Bologna (Italy)

459	blue	-- (USA)

481	blue	-- (Austria)

485	blue	Florence (Italy)	Hand numbered sticker has small tear on bottom left hand corner & very slight ring wear to sleeve. Vinyl is in excellent condition.

488	blue	Belfast (Northern Ireland)	Signed by all the band members when they did a gig at Queens University Belfast in 1979. Bono has signed “Bono eats Biscuits”, the Edge has signed “Da edge hey hey”, Adam and Larry just their signatures. The sleeve is a bit battered – vinyl has usual marks from overplay and laying about for 30 years but plays fine.

489	blue	-- (Ireland)
Larry lived in 60, Rosemount Avenue. I lived in 19. He gave copies to friends/neighbours, one of whom knew I was a fan and knocked on my door to present to me in 1979. Still have it in 2021 as a great memory of the time!

491	blue	Dülmen (Germany)	Sleeve is a bit battered and the vinyl has quite a few marks too – but it plays fine.

492	blue	Dublin (Ireland)	Reasonably good condition (some wear to the cover), considering it has been played on and off.
In Dublin (Ireland), August 1979, I entered the Dave Fanning competition on RTE’s 2fm (to pick the A & B sides for U2’s first release), was lucky enough to be picked as one of the winners and was sent #492 in the post.

494	blue	-- (Texas, USA)

502	blue	Dublin (Ireland)	Vinyl is in excellent condition.
Given to me back in 1979 by Cathy Gilfillan (wife of Paul McGuinness). Cathy and I were working for a Dublin Advertising agency at the time and she and Paul asked if I would design a flyer for a U2 gig in UCD. Like all bands starting out, they had little or no money – so my payment was a copy of the 12" single.

503	blue	-- (England)	Cover shows slight where, the vinyl is in excellent condition with only very light signs of play. On the reverse of the sleeve is handwritten Rough Trade records.

508	blue	-- (Texas, USA)	Bono's handwriting on sleeve.

515	blue	-- (Texas, USA)
This copy was acquired from the 1980’s tour manager of pop/rock combo, England’s Tears For Fears. He was given it by the ACTUAL man who mixed the VERY same three songs on this 12" single, his friend and former colleague and studio engineer, Robbie McGrath – this numbered “U2 Three” was the personal copy of Robbie McGrath.

516	blue	Stockholm (Sweden)	Condition of record is good. Some light scratches though, but not hearable. Condition of sleeve is good but a bit worn in the edges.
Bought in august 1995 at Free Bird Records, 1 Eden Quai, Dublin, Ireland for £40. Brought home to Sweden by a friend's mom since we were out interrailing through Europe. The record has been played and it plays very good.

517	blue	Antwerp (Belgium)

520	blue	Pesaro (Italy)	Condition is excellent


525	blue	Trento (Italy)

531	blue	-- (Texas, USA)

532	blue	Battle Creek (MI, USA)
It is a very nice, clean copy which I purchased many years ago, around 1997/98 from another U2 collector.

533	blue	Dublin (Ireland)	Condition: excellent
I bought this from someone who used to work in the music press in Ireland in 1979. When in the CBS Dublin office one day, Jackie Hayden gave him this copy from a pile he had in the corner. It is in excellent condition and takes pride of place in my U2 collection.

546	blue	Schoten (Belgium)

556	blue	Midwest (USA)	Includes plastic sleeve and the receipt from the shop in Cork where it was originally purchased.

562	blue	Dublin (Ireland)

564	blue	Rome (Italy)

565	blue	-- (Belgium)

568	blue	-- (Belgium)

569	blue	Turin (Italy)

576	blue	Lille (France)
Bought during my stay in Dublin for the concert of 05 November 18 in a record shop, Spindizzy Records. It is not the most beautiful copy, the label is partially torn but it is the number 576 and it is mine.

585	blue	-- (Ireland)
I had followed the Dave Fanning voting process and was really aware of U2 without having seen them play. I worked part time in Camelot Records (Dolphin Discs) in Talbot St and the week the record was released I held two copies of the 12" in my hand to buy, but it would eat too much into my food money in college for the week and alas I put them back on the shelf. Obsession with U2 then grew and was I building up a collection through visits to Camden Road market in London, classified in Record Collector etc. I used to volunteer in a SVP holiday home in the summer time and in the mid 80’s a chap there having tapped into my U2 record obsession would you believe gifted this to me. He lived around the corner from Larry and hence the interest in the band and the personal signing on the sleeve.

594	blue	Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)	Condition (Goldmine standards): Vinyl, Side A (M-), Side B (M); Sleeve Side A+B (VG+), Labels side A (VG+), Side B (M-), and Sticker (M)
Original purchased in 1979 by ‘Mark’ who lived in the Dun Laoghaire/Monkstown area. The record remained in his hands before being passed onto ‘Mauro’ who also resides in Dun Laogharire. The transfer between Mark and Mauro took place in the 2012–2013 time frame as part of exchange of services (Mauro did some painting / handyman services for Mark and took this copy as partial payment). The record has stayed in Mauro hands since then. I purchased the record on November 1 2017 through a private sale.

599	blue	New York (USA)

611	blue	Dublin (Ireland)
I bought U2-3 from Comet Records, Dublin in 1985 for 25 pounds which was significant at the time. Got the record signed at the band's Windmill Lane office in 1988.

621	blue	Dublin (Ireland)

622	blue	-- (Texas, USA)

633	blue	-- (Texas, USA)

641	blue	Dallas (Texas, USA)

644	blue	-- (France)	Condition Label: MINT (429 wrote with a pen on A-Side); Condition Sleeve: MINT

657	blue	-- (Texas)
It came directly from Jackie Hayden, it was originally his copy, which he had 2, this one and number 1000.

662	blue	Turin (Italy)

680	blue	-- (Texas)

682	blue	Anchorage (Alaska)

719	blue	Dublin (Ireland)	Some light scrathes and some ring marks on the sleeve but still in good condition.
I can still remember my excitement cycling in to Dublin City Centre in 1979 to buy this EP in Golden Discs. One of the first records I ever bought. I can also remember my horror as it fell off the bike carrier on the way home and slid across the road. Don’t know how it was not run over but it survived.

724	blue	Cesena (Italy)

731	blue	County Limerick (Ireland)
I bought this off a childhood friend of Bono’s. He used to go to the early gigs. Bono originally gave it to him as a gift.

732	blue	Dublin (Ireland)	Condition of both sleeve and vinyl is amazing considering its 34 years old.
We also have one of the original posters used to promote the single release. It also is in superb condition.

746	blue	Riihimäki (Finland)

753	blue	Paris (France)	Vinyl is in excellent condition, no scratches. Sleeve is in good condition, still in its brilliant sunburst color, apart a small bend in bottom left-hand corner. Hand-numbered sticker by Jackie Hayden, on the reverse sleeve side, has small marks. In front sleeve side is still present the original Golden Discs price sticker.
Original owner purchased copy #753 at Golden Discs in Dublin shortly after its release in 1979 and rarely played it. I bought it from another Irish records shop on eBay in June 2017. I can still remember my excitement when in February 1985 I was 16 years old and a school friend invited me to “listen a rock concert from outside”. U2 first Italian gig ever was performed under a “circus tent” (Palatenda) in Milan, due that the local arena was suddenly unserviceable. I no longer left them.

770	blue	Belfast (Northern Ireland)	Very good condition
Went to see U2 in McGonagles when I was 15 years old … my bro was at Trinity and he allowed one of his friends Gary G (not Glitter!) to take me to see »one of my bands«. I was bowled over. Returning to Belfast I went to Caroline Records in Anne Street … they had one copy of U23 12 inch. I spent my months’ pocket on it!

775	blue	-- (Belgium)

779	blue	Warsaw (Poland)

783	blue	-- (Texas, USA)

792	blue	Bay Area (California, USA)
I paid $100 for my copy which I bought in 1990 at the Orange County California (near Disneyland) record swap meet. I was digging through U2 bootlegs and the vendor saw that I was interested exclusively in U2 recordings. He asked me if I'd be interested in something besides other than boots. Then he went under the counter into a private stash and pulled out a U2-3. I never thought I'd would ever see one. In my mind, I was thinking “How much am I willing to pay? How much am I willing to pay?” I concluded that all I could afford was $200. He offered it to me for $100. When I got home, I put it in a record frame, where it's been ever since.

793	blue	Rome (Italy)

796	blue	-- (Ireland)

802	blue	Westminster (USA)

828	black	Athens (Greece)

843	black	Dallas (Texas, USA)

855	black	Barcelona (Spain)	Cover, sleeve and sticker in EX+ condition.
The original buyer bought it in Grafton Street in 1979.

859	black	-- (Ireland)	Number is a little faded. Signed by the band.
My Dad worked with Larry Mullen’s Dad. Though he believed Larry’s son was wasting his time he humoured me. He even let myself and my brother go to their homecoming from the first English tour in the TV Club. We were 15 and 13 I think! More trusting than enlightened but thanks all the same Pops, you were a great man. Larry’s dad was nice too :-)

865	black	Essex (United Kingdom)

877	black	-- (New Hampshire, USA)

878	black	Hammonds Plain (Nova Scotia, Canada)
Purchased at Golden Discs, Grafton Street, Dublin. Signed by the boys at RTÉ Studios, Dublin. Bono forgot the year for a moment, and had to correct 81 to 82.

882	black	Kidlington, Oxford (UK)	Great played condition, no scuffs or scratches and the sleeve has very little wear.
Purchased the week it was released at Advance Records Dublin.

895	black	-- (Texas, USA)

896	black	Dublin (Ireland)

899	black	London (United Kingdom)	The record itself is in excellent condition with a few surface marks that are unnoticeable. The labels still have their vibrant color and are in mint condition.

902	black	Geneva (Switzerland)

908	black	-- (Italy)

916	black	Caceres (Spain)

917	black	-- (Texas, USA)
The Emma, who the album was dedicated to, passed away in 1981. Her sister, who lives in America, has had the record in since then. Her sister, the person who sold the record even asked Adam, from U2 an advise on selling it. His response apparently was “I never holds onto anything from the past I like to stay in the present”. The seller knows the band well and she told me she is life long friends with all of the band. There initial connection was her parents and the edges parents were great friends and that’s how they got to know them. It was the Edge who got the other members to sign the record. This copy was signed by all members of U2 in 1979. It’s so rare to get all four signatures (especially Larry’s) from 1979.

918	black	London, Ontario (Canada)	The condition of the vinyl is excellent with some sleeve scuffs. Plays perfectly. The labels are mint-. The sleeve is vg+ with a slight wrinkle on one side from exposure to water.
It was signed at RTE studios in 2014. Of further significance is the sticker on the lower right front with Sean Leslie written on it. He was U2’s first chauffeur and I would like to think it was gifted to him and marked as such.

939	black	Sittingbourne, Kent (United Kingdom)

940	black	Dallas (Texas, USA)

943	black	Surrey (United Kingdom)

950	black	Mexico City (Mexico)

954	black	Milan (Italy)

957	black	-- (Texas, USA)
[statement from the original buyer; see also No. 957] Both were in Dublin and both bought by me upon release. I still have a handwritten receipt from Advance Records for leaving a deposit on one copy. The other was bought in Golden Discs in Stillorgan. One of the records was warped and my mother took it to Adam's mother (family friends) and Adam's mother swapped it for one in Adam's bedroom … true story! Only thing is I don't know which one.

958	black	Dallas (Texas, USA)

963	black	Lucan, Dublin (Ireland)	Condition: well used
I bought it from Golden Discs on Mary Street in Dublin during my lunch break and the assistant said it was the 2nd last copy left. I still remember the feeling when I got home and played it on my ”music centre“, great memories.

967	black	New York (USA)	Sleve is worn; Record is excellent
Sleeve is worn as photos show (small bend in corner) but vinyl is almost mint! I bought this from another fan in 1998. Between 2005 and 2013, I had it personally signed by Bono (front and back sleeve), Edge (front and back sleeve), Adam Clayton (front sleeve), Larry Mullen Jr. (front sleeve) and Paul McGuinness (front sleeve).

969	black	-- (Texas, USA)

974	black	Dublin (Ireland)
Purchased at Golden Discs, North Earl Street, Dublin beside Bonavox hearing aid shop, when it was released. Still with me in Dublin all those years later.

986	black	Dallas (Texas, USA)	Condition: perfect Extras: original poster

1,000	black	-- (Texas, USA)	In a BBC Three special called “Bono’s Million$”, Jackie Hayden was showing his copy of U2-3 to the interviewer. He has copy 1,000 of 1,000. In 2024, Jackie Hayden personally sold it to a buyer from Texas.