The less than prophetic remark came during a debate on what to do with 10 gold discs seized three years earlier at London's Royal Victoria Docks.
Five were to celebrate the millionth sale of "A Hard Day's Night". The others marked sales of $1.8 million of the Something New LP released only in the United States.
Each Beatle and manager Brian Epstein was given two discs by US record company Capitol. They were taken to Britain on cargo ship The American Courier.
But although the words "One case of gold records, origin USA" were stamped on the box, no Customs entry documents were presented.
According to British law, certain awards for art, literature and public service can be imported duty free.
But the commemorative discs for the pop industry were, in those days, subject to a charge of 20 per cent of their value. No record was kept of how much duty needed to be paid. It might have been only a couple of pounds.
Despite being regularly contacted by Customs officers, Epstein's company - NEMS Enterprises Ltd - failed to pay the import charges.
Finally, in 1967, a letter was sent warning that if no reply was received within a month Customs would dispose of the records.
On 10 March, Customs officer B. Lampert wrote to his manager: "If it is considered that sale of these plaques will not embarrass the department, then sale would have to be of a specific nature with advertisements in the music papers."
"I have no idea of the price we could expect to realise, but I understand the Beatles are on their way out (result of quick market research on teenage neighbours!)."
His manager replied: "If we are to realise anything on these golden discs, it means immediate action - when the Beatles craze is ended, the discs will be valueless."
An official valuation the following year concluded: "The discs have no commercial value."
On 23 May, 1968, the records were finally handed over for safe keeping to the Customs and Exicse departmental library.
So, for the best part of 30 years, they have been gathering dust in a warehouse. A few years ago, a handful were rediscovered and put on display at the Customs and Excise Museum in Liverpool. The rest, by all accounts, remain in storage.
The astonishing story of how the discs were seized and disposed of was revealed this week with the release of documents held by the Public Relations Office.
Beatles spokesman Geoff Baker said Neil Aspinall, head of their record label, Apple, would contact Customs and Excise in the hope of reclaiming the discs.
He said: "They are all delighted that the discs have been discovered after all this time."
And they are chuffed the band lasted a bit longer than the Customs officers predicted.
However, there is confusion over whether the surviving Beatles would be entitled to pay the outstanding duty and claim their discs.
A Customs and Excise Spokesman said it depended under what circumstances they were confiscated. Either they were seized outright, which meant the owners had no entitlement, or they were taken pending payment, which meant they may be entitled to have them back.