Cat Stevens first A&M Records album “Mona Bone Jakon” was released in July of 1970. This Disc Award Ltd. gold LP was presented in 1973, well before the album was finally certified RIAA gold in 1976.
Disc Award Ltd. was the preeminent “in-house” award manufacturer of the period (the RIAA format when it was authorized in 1976 would have been a Floater). Jim Greenwood (me) and Licorice Pizza were aggressive music retailers in Southern California.
Cat Stevens of course became a superstar in 1971, and his subsequent releases, Tea for the Tillerman (5/71), Teaser and the Firecat (10/71) and Catch Bull at Four (10/72) were certified gold almost immediately. The public may have heard Mona Bone Jakon songs on the radio, but they were buying the newer Cat Stevens albums as they came out. That said, the album remains one of his best…
This completely original Disc Award Ltd. award has their dragon logo engraved at 4:00 on the trail off and the back is unopened. I can vouch for that because I’ve had this award in my possession for 40 years.
To evaluate the authenticness and condition of any award it’s best to hold it in your hands, if that is not possible, photos of the front, plate and back are most useful.
