Decca UK was manufacturing large quantities of stampers for their own factory in New Malden, London. Not all of the stampers were used for their own record production. Decca did also export some of their stampers to other Decca companies around the world. This page is presenting records pressed in other countries using UK made stampers.

UK stampers are rather easy to identify as most of the countries that manufactured their own were using slightly different style of letters and numbers as well as a slightly different logic of how the off-groove data was looking like and the position of the markings on the off-groove area. Just compare the markings with an original UK Decca record and if the numbers and style of the data is matching, then you have a foreign record pressed with an UK made stamper.

Foreign pressings using stampers made by Decca in England have been found from at least the following countries:
Italy / Belgium / France / Israel
Rhodesia / Nigeria / South Africa
Canada / Mexico / Jamaica / Barbados
Venezuela / Argentina / Columbia / Peru

Made in Italy

Italy was one of the countries that received a lot of production support from Decca UK. Stampers as well as sleeves were made in England and sent to Italy. Decca Italy had given a catalogue number of it’s own to the releases by adding an I into the catalogue number. For example Aftermath was called LKI 4786 in Italy where as UK Aftermaths had the LK 4786 number. Most of the Italian albums from No2 and up to Beggars Banquet had also the SM marking in the off groove area. SM is identifying that the stamper was manufactured by a sub-supplier to Decca in England.
Emilio Giovanetti in Italy has listed matrix numbers on his blog. Please visit the blog for more detailed info on matrix numbers. Emilio did also supply the pictures of the Rhodesian red label record as well as the two “got LIVE if you want” records.

stonesworldcollection.blogspot.com

Aftermath / LKI 4786

This Italian Aftermath has original Italian made labels but the pressing plates used are made in England.

Matrix number on this one is XARL-7209-4B.

The second picture shows the code SM, identifying that this stamper was manufactured by an external supplier to Decca in UK.

Let It Bleed / SKLI 5025

This Italian Let It Bleed has original Italian made labels but the stampers used are made in England.

Matrix number on this one is XZAL-9363.P-6W. The second picture shows the mother number stamped at 9 a clock, 2 B

Made in Belgium

Through The Past Darkly / SKL 5019P

Record production in Belgium was interesting. This Belgian Through The Past Darkly has original Belgian made labels but the stampers used are made in England. This record was manufactured in Belgium.
There are also records existing with UK made labels but Belgian made stampers! See chapter “Foreign pressings with UK labels"

Matrix numbers on this LP

Beggars Banquet / SKL 4955

Beggars Banquet with Belgian Stereo label. Stampers made in UK.
Matrix numbers on side one is XZAL-8476-1K and XZAL-8477-2K on side two.
This record is in a stock UK Decca cover.

Most of the 60's Stones records pressed in Belgium with Belgian labels were pressed with stampers made by Decca in England.
The following records have been confirmed as pressed with UK made stampers:
Got LIVE if you want it
Flowers
Beggars Banquet
Through The Past Darkly
Let It Bleed

Made in Belgium and France

Got Live If You Want It! / SSS 159 Y

Here are two “got LIVE if you want it” records. First on is made in Belgium. The sleeve and the label are local Belgian ones but the record is pressed with stampers made in England. This stamper do also have the SM A markings before the Matrix number confirming that it was manufactured by an external company for Decca.
The matrix number on this one is ZAL-7517-1W. This is exactly the same Matrix as found on the British ” Have You Seen Your Mother LIVE! album. The recording and sound are the same, only the title of the album is different.

This is the French “got LIVE if you want it!” Sleeve and label were made in France but the stampers used for pressing the record are again made in England. This stamper has the same Matrix as the ones used for the Belgian record: SM A ZAL-7517-1W. These Belgian and French pressing stampers are identical, only small difference would be the stamper letters at 3 a clock.

Made in Rhodesia

The Rolling Stones / LK 4605

Here are two LK4605 The Rolling Stones records, pressed in Rhodesia. Both records has clearly visible matrix numbers and other letters in the off groove area, confirming that the stampers were manufactured in England. The SM A letters are also present which indicates that the stampers were manufactured by the external UK company that used to manufacture them for Decca in the 60’s. One of the stampers have even “Made in S Rhodesia” added in the off groove area!

The first Rolling Stones record was also for some reason re-released in Rhodesia with a blue label. Still being a mono record and label looks to be identical to the original red label.

Made in Mexico

Their Satanic Majesties Request / M-1348

Mexico is another country that received pressing stampers from Decca in UK. Here is a nice example of a Mexican Their Satanic Majesties Request that has been pressed with UK stampers.
This is a stereo pressing with matrix numbers ZAL-8126-T2 on side one and ZAL-8127-T2 on side two. These stampers have also been made by the external plate manufacturer SM A.

Made in Venezuela

12 x 5 / LL-3402

Venezuela was another South American country that received stampers from Decca in the UK. This is a 12 x 5 record pressed in Venezuela in the 60's with British made stampers.
Matrix numbers on this mono record one are: Side 1: ARL - 6493 - 1A and Side 2: ARL - 6494 - 1A
The "SM A" codes are also present on this pressing, confirming that stampers were made by external supplier to Decca in the UK

Made in Israel

Rolling Stones No1 / ISK 1005

This is a Rolling Stones No1 pressed in Israel with stampers made in the UK.
Matrix numbers on this record one are: Side 1: XARL - 6271 - 1A and Side 2: ARL - 6272 - 4A
The "SM A" codes are also present on this pressing, confirming that stampers were made by external supplier to Decca in the UK

Made in Argentina

Rolling Stones No1 / LLM 1764

This is an original Rolling Stones No1 pressed in Argentina 1964 / 1965 with stampers made in England.
Matrix numbers on this record one are: Side 1: XARL - 6271 - 1A and Side 2: ARL - 6272 - 4A
The "SM A" codes are also present on this pressing, confirming that stampers were made by external supplier to Decca in the UK

Made in Nigeria

Let It Bleed / SKL 5025

This is a Let It Bleed stereo record pressed in Nigeria using UK Decca made stampers. The record is in a cover and inner bag made in England.
The matrix numbers on this record is XZAL-9363.P-1W on side one and XZAL-9364.P-1W on side two.

Made in Barbados

Metamorphosis / SKL 5212

Barbados had a small record pressing Plants in the 1970's. This is a Metamorphosis that was pressed in Barbados!
The cover was imported from England.
Matrix numbers on this record are XZAL-13897-P-2W on side one and XZAL-13898-P-2W on side two

Made in Colombia

Decembers Children / LL3451

Colombian Mono version of the Decembers Children with a blue label! The cover is also originally intended for a stereo record but a "Monofonico" sticker has been put on the cover to indicate that this actually is a mono record.
The cover was locally manufactured and is an unusual top load version.
Full Matrix numbers on this record are:
1 24B SM B ARL-7031-1A
2 21 SM A ARL-7032-1A

This record and many more Colombian records pressed with UK made stampers can also be found on Emilios fine "stonesworldcollection" page
stonesworldcollection.blogspot.com