UK 7" [Rough Trade RT193]
View front and back artwork from the menu on the left. Rigid sleeve. Light blue labels with dark blue text in the classic Rough Trade layout. Different editions of the record have been reported. Here are the two known versions of this format:

• push-out centre
  Initial pressing of the 7" has a push-out centre, as requested by Morrissey.
  RT 193 A1 / RT 193 B1
• solid centre
  Later pressings, or perhaps pressings for a foreign market such as Ireland, have a solid centre.
  RT 193 A-1U-1 / RT 193 B-1U-1-

Some early copies (with push-out centre) included a sheet of usually six or sometimes twelve round stickers. One third say "Panic", another third say "Hang The DJ" and the last third say "Smiths".

UK 12" [Rough Trade RTT193]
The 12" features slightly alternate artwork to the 7" format (view left). Many copies in circulation still have the round blue sticker on the front advertising the inclusion of extra track "The Draize Train". The labels are light blue with dark blue text in the classic Rough Trade layout. The inner sleeve is glossy and in the same blue as the labels. It shows the catalogue number in white in the top right corner.
RTT 193 A1 / RTT 193 B1

Early copies included a sheet of 9 stickers. These are different to the ones that came with the 7" format, as they are rectangular with rounded corners. Three say "Panic", three say "Hang The DJ" and three say "Smiths". Sheets with fewer stickers are incomplete. They were probably used by a previous owner.

UK CD5 [Rough Trade RTT193CD]
In 1988 Rough Trade started reissuing the Smiths singles back catalogue on cd format, but stopped before half were done. "Panic" was one of the eight singles to get reissued that year. Some of these were given different artwork, but it wasn't the case for this one. The usual artwork was adapted to fit the cd's thin jewelcase type of insert (view left). The cd's surface follows the pattern of all others in the series, with a horizontal stripe across the middle, this one being in the same blue and black from the back artwork. Of the eight cd-singles to get reissued in 1988, this one was among the most demanded because, until the 2008 release of the compilation "The Sound Of The Smiths", it was the only source for "The Draize Train" on compact disc (along with its Australian counterpart described below).

UK sheet music [Warner Bros Music Ltd and IMP 20797]
The sheet music for this single includes tabs to the three songs featured on it. View here (uncropped scan or flat photo needed).

UK 7" jukebox [Rough Trade RT193]
The text layout on the label of the "Panic" jukebox 7" is the same as the original version described above, but the record has a large hole in the centre. It doesn't come with a picture sleeve unless someone found an orphan one to slip it in.
RT 193 A-1U-1-1-8 / RT 193 B-1U-1-1-5
RT 193 A-1U-1-1-11 / RT 193 B-1U-1-1-10

UK 7" promo [Rough Trade RT193]
A very limited number of stock copies of the 7" were sent to media with a plugger sticker on them. Others have been reported without a sticker, but with a press sheet that is very similar but not identical to the one that came with the promo 12" described next.

UK 12" promo [Rough Trade RTT193]
This single was mainly promoted with 'white label' copies of the 12" format. The labels in this case were actually light yellow. They were usually slipped inside a die-cut sleeve although some copies may have been mailed out in picture sleeves. Some copies were sent out to media or retail with a Beer Davies press sheet featuring release information. An estimated 5000 were supposedly mailed out with the lyrics poster described below, but this number seems to be high, it probably includes stock copies.
RTT 193 A-1U-1-1-1 / RTT 193 B-1U-1-1-1

UK countertop display box
This countertop display box could fit about twenty 7" singles and sit on the record shop counter on the week of release for better visibility. View here.

UK 30cm x 60cm promo poster (12" x 24")
One of the two main UK promo posters for this title featured a variation of the single's artwork. View here.

UK 30cm x 60cm promo poster (12" x 24")
This single had two different promo posters. This other version features the lyrics to the title track, handwritten by Morrissey. View here.

Other posters with variations on the artwork have been spotted, but these are very likely unofficial because they don't mention the label or any release information.

UK ad 30cm x 40cm (12" x 16")
This full page ad is modelled on the lyrics poster described above, but in black and white. "Smiths" appears at the top and "Panic" near the bottom in white inside black stripes. The song's lyrics are found in between, in Morrissey's handwriting. Release information for the various formats is found at the bottom, with a Rough Trade logo and a Cartel distribution credit (image needed).

UK 7" test pressing [Rough Trade RT193]
UK 7" white label test pressings of singles released by the Smiths from March 1985 to the end of 1987 are quite rare. They are from the initial pressing of the 7" format, and their labels are simply white paper ones with sometimes a bit of release information handwritten on them. In this case the record is usually circulated inside a white die-cut bag, although some copies may have been paired with a picture sleeve a posteriori. About a handful or two are expected to have made it into the hands of the band members, label employees and entourage, and from there perhaps into the collections of a few lucky fans.

UK in-house cassette
A Copymasters advance cassette featuring the three songs from this single has made it into the hands of at least one collector. Unlike Copymasters tapes for other singles, this one is not dated.

UK production master tape
Rough Trade's master tape for this single has made it to the collectors world. It features "Panic" and "The Draize Train" only, surely because "Vicar In A Tutu" was lifted from the recent "The Queen Is Dead" album. It is housed in a 11" X 11" X 1" box with a 'CBS Mastering Services' label on it. It is dated (undecipherable) and the label features all sorts of technical recording information.

UK 7" alternate artwork proof
UK 12" alternate artwork proof
Printer's proofs of early alternate artwork for the 7" and 12" formats have made it into the hands of some collectors. The proofs show the unfolded front and back, with registration and proofing bars. The artwork is almost identical to the definitive editions, but the name of the band on the front is white instead of blue, and the credits on the back appear over a light-blue capsule shape.

UK cd-single artwork proof
A printer's proof of the cd-single artwork has also made it into the collecting world. This one shows the front, back, spine and reverse, so in other words the complete unfolded insert, with proofing & registration bars.

Australia CD5 [Festival D1076]
In 1988 Rough Trade in the UK re-released some of the Smiths singles on the new-ish cd format and Festival in Australia followed. However the packaging was done more cheaply than in the UK. The front artwork was cropped to fit the jewelcase (the UK cd-singles were released in the thin case that need wider artwork) and the colours were not reproduced as well. The cd label's 2-colour horizontal stripe design remained, but the font and layout were changed.

Australia 7" promo [CBS RTANZ017]
It appears that "Panic" wasn't properly released as a single in Australia, but copies in a promo CBS sleeve are found on the collectors market. What exactly these were meant to promote is unclear. The sleeve is die-cut, has a white to black gradient, a CBS logo on top and a promo warning at the bottom. The record has the usual Australian green and red labels without any promo warning on them.

Brazil 12" [WEA 670.0001]
This is one of the very few Smiths singles to have gotten a release in Brazil. The sleeve texture is non-glossy, like thick paper. The front artwork is the same as for the UK 12", but there is a blue Warner logo in the upper right corner (view left). The back artwork is similar, it differs from the UK back by minor credit and catalogue number additions/corrections. The labels are blue with black text, and titles are followed by their publishing numbers. Copies have been seen with a white inner sleeve and others in a clear anti-static sleeve; it is unclear which one is official and which one is the result of an inner sleeve mix-up.

Brazil CMS [WEA 767.0001]
This item is quite an oddity, as it is the only Smiths cassette-single to have been released outside of England. The front of the insert shows the 12" artwork inside a white border, over a black background (view left). The spine and back are orange-yellow. As is mandatory in Brazil, the track listing on the back includes the songs' publishing numbers. The cassette is beige with tan labels.

Brazil 12" promo [WEA 670.0001]
Promo copies of the 12" are stock ones stamped "Especial para promoçao invendavel amostra gratis tributada" in gold letters on the back. The promo warning may also have been stamped in ink on the labels, but this needs confirmation.

Brazil various artists promo EP [WEA #47]
This promo EP features "Panic" along with songs from Eric Clapton, Benjamin Orr and Frankie Goes To Hollywood. It comes in a dark blue sleeve with a huge yellow WEA logo and yellow track listing on the front.

Brazil various artists promo EP [406,007]
This various artists compilation features "Panic" from the live compilation LP "In Concert - Som Live". It may belong in another section of the collectors appendix, like the one for the live album "Rank". Additional information needed.

Canada 12" [Sire 92 05440]
Because Sire in the USA and Canada had originally no intention of releasing this single and only changed their minds after the success of the North American leg of the Queen Is Dead tour, it was pressed in fewer numbers than previous singles and is now the least common of the Sire 12"s. The front of the Canadian 12" is exactly the same as in the UK. The back is similar: the UK catalogue number was dropped and additional Sire logo and credits were added in the bottom right corner. The barcode was changed. The record features the classic yellow Sire labels and is slipped inside a plastic film inner sleeve.

Canada 12" promo [Sire 92 05440]
As is custom in Canada, promotional 12"s are commercial ones stamped with English and French promo warnings in gold ink on the back of the sleeve. Because of the reasons given in the previous paragraph, very few of these were made and they have become quite rare.

Germany 7" [Teldec/Zensor 6.14684]
The sleeve of the German 7" is made of thin paper and its front is identical to that of its UK counterpart. The back differs from the back of the UK 7" by a number of details: the catalogue number was corrected and moved to the top right corner above a Teldec logo, the label code was moved to the bottom right corner, a Zensor logo was added above the barcode in the bottom left corner, the cover star credit is printed in yellow instead of blue, and there is an additional Teldec credit printed in blue at the very bottom. The existence of a 12" maxi is also advertised inside a blue triangle in the empty space on the left. Unlike the 12", the 7" is only offered on black vinyl. Its labels are red with black text consisting of "The Smiths" at the top; Teldec and Gema logos, catalogue number, publishing info and running time on the left; Zensor logo, label code catalogue number and side number on the right; song title, songwriting credits and Zensor copyright at the bottom; reproduction warning in German around the edge.

Germany 12" [Teldec/Zensor 6.20648 / 16.20503]
There are four different versions of the German 12". All feature the same front artwork as the UK 12" but the overall shade of the image in some cases is much lighter grey. The back in all cases is similar to the UK back with a few minor changes: the catalogue number was corrected and moved to the top right corner above a Teldec logo, the label code was moved to the bottom right corner, the barcode was moved to the bottom left corner and has a Zensor logo above it, the cover star credit is printed in yellow instead of blue, and there is an additional Teldec credit printed in blue at the very bottom. The b-side track listing was of course corrected to reflect the German track listing and "Maxi 45 RPM 132 BPM" was added in the empty black space on the left (a bit ironic given the fuss made around the band's stance on dance music at the time of release of this single). The only difference between the backs of these four variations is in the catalogue number in the top right corner and in the barcode, as one of them is numbered differently (see below). None of the four variations include an inner sleeve.

• blue vinyl, blue labels edition, numbered 16.20503
  If there is any logic in the catalogue numbers, this should be assumed to be the earliest variation out of the four. It is the only version without a barcode on the back (the box was left empty and white) which means that one could also speculate that this served promotional purposes. Some copies have been spotted with a black circular sticker on the front of the sleeve stating "Special Limited Edition Coloured Vinyl" in yellow. This sticker may or may not have been added a posteriori by a distributor and not the record label.
• blue vinyl, blue labels edition, numbered 6.20648
  This variation differs from the previous one in its catalogue number. It is therefore corrected on the back of the sleeve and on the labels. The position of "BPM: 132" on the labels was moved from the bottom on side A only, to underneath the catalogue number on both sides (although it only applies to the title track).
• blue vinyl, red labels edition, numbered 6.20648
  This edition differs from the previous one by its labels which are red instead of blue. Everything else is identical.
• black vinyl, blue labels edition, numbered 6.20648
  This edition differs from the second version above only by the fact that it was pressed on black vinyl. Everything else is identical.

Germany promo video
A video featuring the Derek Jarman promotional films for "The Queen Is Dead" and "Panic" (2 versions of the latter) has made it into the hands of a few collectors. This is found inside a video box with a Rough Trade Deutschland sticker on it.

Germany 7" test pressing [Teldec/Zensor 6.14684]
The test pressing for the German 7" described above bears white labels with the words "UNGEPRÜFTES MUSTER" printed around the top edge and "UNVERKÄUFLICH" around the bottom edge. Between that are seven printed lines to be filled in with information such as the "Katalog Nr", "Titel" and "Matrizen Nr", but none are filled. The record comes in a white paper sleeve with a white rectangular sticker on the front stating "The Smiths" and the matrix numbers.

Holland 7" [Megadisc MD5285]
There are 2 versions of the Dutch 7". One is very common while the other is extremely rare. The sleeve of the most common version is very similar to its British counterpart. It has the exact same 7" artwork on the front, and the back features a corrected catalogue number and additional Megadisc logo and credits above the barcode. The concave opening facilitating access to the record is found at the top instead of the side. The labels are black with white text in the same layout as in the UK. The catalogue number was corrected and the credits around them were removed. The line "Made in England" is still there, but this was very likely an oversight.

The other edition is identical to the first one, but the name of the band on the front and "Panic" on the back are white instead of blue. It is not known whether this is a mispressing or an early variation of the artwork.

Holland 12" [Megadisc MD125285]
The Dutch 12" must have been pressed in very low numbers because it is relatively less common than other titles released in Holland. Its sleeve is similar to the UK 12" sleeve except for the additional Megadisc catalogue number, logo and credits in the lower left corner on the back. The inner sleeve is blue (the only licensed edition to replicate the UK'S blue inner sleeve), it shows the Dutch catalogue number in white in the top right corner, but it is made of paper so it is not glossy like in the uK. The labels are black with white text in the typical UK layout. The catalogue number on them was corrected to the Dutch one.

Spain 12" [Nuevos Medios 41-208M]
A look at the matrix numbers of the Spanish 12" reveals that it was pressed in the UK. The sleeve and labels are almost identical to their British counterparts in colour and layout except for the expected additional Nuevos Medios logos and credits. The only notable difference is the inner sleeve, a generic white paper one instead of the UK's glossy light blue bag.

Spain 12" [Nuevos Medios 41-208M]
Copies of the 12" single stamped on the record's label and on the inner sleeve and paired with a 2-page press release seem to have served promotional purposes. The stamp is round and it is not known if it's a promo warning or some media library identification. The press release is of white A4 format, it is printed in black and a Nuevos Medios logo appears at the top on each page.

USA 12" [Sire 9 20544-0]
The American edition of the "Panic" 12" features the usual 12" artwork on the front and the expected alterations to the credits on the back to account for the involvement of Sire Records. The record bears classic yellow Sire labels and is slipped inside a clear anti-static inner sleeve.

USA 12" promo [Sire 9 20544-0]
Sire was originally reluctant to release "Panic" as a single, but following the success of the American leg of the "The Queen Is Dead" tour, they changed their minds and the single came out just a month before "Ask". Therefore, promotion was kept to a minimum and gold stamped promo copies of the 12" are quite hard to come by.

USA one-track promo video
A promo videocassette featuring only the Derek Jarman promotional film for "Panic" was sent to relevant media at the time of release of this single. It has a Warner label and is slipped inside a generic box.

USA various artists promo video
A Warner Bros various artists video compilation also featured "Panic", alongside videos from other artists such as Chicago, Falco, Steve Winwood, Paul Simon, Ric Ocasek, Elton John, etc. The videocassette is slipped inside a generic video box with Warner Bros titles (and logo) sticker on it.

USA promo video
The video to "Panic" was included on the volume 4 no 45A issue of promo video series Telegenics, dated December 1986, alongside other videos by Skinny Puppy, Kraftwerk, General Public, Big Audio Dynamite, etc. There are actually two different versions of this item. Both are found in a black hardshell case with a yellow titles/song length insert onto it. In one case the videocassette has a printed label with red Telegenics logo and a red round warning sticker next to it. In the other case the label is plain white with typed information and the warning sticker is green.

USA promo video
The December 1986 issue of the Rockamerica promo video series aimed at club airplay features the video to "Panic" alongside 14 others by artists such as the Art Of Noise, Gene Loves Jezebel, the Woodentop, He Said, etc. Information on the packaging is needed.

USA promo video
A promo compilation titled "Video Pool 1987" and dated January 1987 features "Panic" alongside videos by the Woodentops, Timbuk 3, the Trashcan Sinatras, the Stranglers, etc. The videocassette has a white printed VIDEOpool label and is circulated in a hardshell case with yellow track listing insert.

USA 12" test pressing [Sire 9 20544-0]
Test pressings for non-British releases are rarely found on the collecting market, so collectors should take notice of the existence of the American "Panic" 12" test pressing featuring Specialty labels. Information about sleeve, etc, is needed.

USA 12" acetates
The American 12" acetates come as a set of two, one for each side. They have white "K Disc Mastering" labels with, at the top, the usual printed company logo, Hollywood address and telephone number, above the typed release information: "Smiths", side letter, label ("Warner Records"), track listing and the date "Aug. 18, 1986". They are slipped in white sleeves with K Disc Mastering logo at the top.