BEATLES White Album D/LP 1968 MONO 1st Press FACTORY SAMPLE

	£		375
	$		497

DETAILS ABOUT GRADING & BACKGROUND ON MY BUY IT NOW AUCTIONS (Please read!)

Hello and welcome to my auction!  This is part of a collection that has recently arrived from a fastidious Beatles Collector.  Generally he collected the wierd and wonderful - and although condition is mostly very VERY nice indeed, that wasnt his main point of concern.  Like most Beatles collectors he collected the full set of LPs and singles fairly quickly (which he still has!) - but over the years, he decided to pick up anything else that was a little bit 'different'.  Most of his Beatles LPs either had an extra 'insert' relating to the LP at the time, or were EXTREMELY rare 'Factory Sample' copies!  Some he acquired from a family member when the LPs were released (apparently he was a sales rep for Apple) and other 1st Pressings he bought second hand from various Record Fairs or Record Shops over the years (mainly in the 1970s).  Of course there are also 2 or 3 Beatles & related items I am listing that were not from this collection - but 90% are.  He was also most interested in the 'Apple' label, so a lot of these LPs are from the late 1960s - though there are a few Parlophones as well.  And almost ALL are 100% GENIUNE 1st Pressings, and are in very VERY nice condition indeed!  And it is also worth noting that he never got into collecting foreign Beatles LPs - so ALL are UK 1st Pressings only! 

Importantly, all of his LPs were stored in Plastic Protective Covers from the day he acquired them - keeping them in the condition he found them in!  And as he rarely played them, they have remained virtually untouched for many years now.  Some of his records are of a very VERY high grading indeed, and almost ALL are VG+ if not better (with many being higher than this!).  Most are in EXTREMELY high grade collectable condition, well above the norm, and WELL above the condition that most LPs of this era are found in!  In fact, only those who are into NM or pristine Mint records - may be disappointed here.  But those with HIGH realistic expections of VERY rare items will be happy and pleased to own them!  Most importantly I have graded every LP EXTREMELY strictly indeed - as I certainly dont want any to come back from disappointed customers!  And EVERY SINGLE Buy It Now Auction is very VERY rare indeed - as you can see from my listings!

So with this in mind - it is very VERY important to understand how my VERY strict grading system works!  I grade EVERYTHING standing on a chair directly under a 150 watt bulb which reveals everything!  Therefore if I grade a record 'VG' - it does NOT mean it is 'covered in scuffing and marks' - it will still be a VERY clean looking record indeed, and often barely played!  For example - if I hold a record under light and see a lovely black sheen, but a few of the VERY lightest paper scuffs, and 2 or 3 VERY light lines - I will still ONLY grade the record VG+.  So whilst you shouldnt expect MINT from my 'VG' records - you should still expect a VERY clean & bright looking record indeed!  And even my records graded only 'Good' or Good+' will be VERY presentable playable examples indeed!  And if I list a record in the condition most LPs seem to be in today (namely covered in general light scuffing - but still plays through absolutely fine with a few crackles & pops) - then I would ONLY grade this record Fair or even Poor+.  So I am very VERY strict on grading indeed - and almost NEVER use an Excellent grading unless the record looks virtually 'factory fresh' under light!  PLEASE ALSO NOTE - as these records have been sitting for many years, and have come direct to auction - so they may also be a little dusty (but NOT dirty!), and may benefit from a clean / dust off by the next owner (if so wished).  I also have not had the time to play these throughout (though I have played snippets and test passages) - but it is VERY easy to spot any sounding marks under light, and I will mention anything that falls out of the grade given!  And actually in this case - on 99% of these LPs they are of such HIGH QUALITY that there is NO sounding marks AT ALL!  And please note - I absolutely will not be doing any partial refunds, unless there is a geniune mistake.  There are gradings clearly given (please check you know what they mean), and items are always described in great detail!  So please read everything to make sure it reaches your satisfaction.  In short - if you buy one of my records, and expect the grade given you should be very pleasantly surprised indeed!  And in the unlikely event of a problem, any purchase is also covered by a refund including return postage. 

So please buy with absolute confidence and take a look at this GREAT item on offer below:-

RARITY:-  One of The Beatles most iconic LPs ever.  White Album's are always very VERY sought after indeed - as they are VERY complex, with many parts easily damaged.  However this one is in BRILLIANT condition, is 100% complete, and even has its ORIGINAL Black Apple inners (NOT replacements!).  This Double LP also has the added rarity of being an ULTRA rare 'Factory Sample' 1st Pressing - making it very VERY rare indeed!

FACTORY SAMPLE:-  'FACTORY SAMPLE' PRESSINGS WERE ONLY EVER PRESSED IN ABSOLUTELY TINY AMOUNTS (NO MORE THAN A HUNDRED COPIES AT THE VERY MOST!), AND WERE ONLY EVER USED FOR 'IN-HOUSE' USE BY EMI / APPLE THEMSELVES (FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES), OR VERY OCCASSIONALLY ONE WAS GIVEN OUT TO 'IMPORTANT VISITORS' TO THE FACTORY - SUCH AS PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS FOR EXAMPLE!  'FACTORY SAMPLES' WERE NEARLY ALWAYS THE 'EARLIEST' 1ST PRESSINGS EVER MADE - AND ARE TRULY EXCEPTIONALLY HARD TO FIND TODAY!  BARELY ANY 'FACTORY SAMPLE' 1ST PRESSINGS OF THIS DOUBLE LP WERE EVER MADE - MAKING THIS DOUBLE LP OF THE UTMOST RARITY!

AUTHENTICITY:-  FACTORY SAMPLES ARE NOW VERY HARD TO FIND (ESPECIALLY GENIUNE ONES!), AND SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CHECK EVERYTHING IS CORRECT & AUTHENTIC.  FIRSTLY, THE 'FACTORY SAMPLE' STICKER IS DEFINITELY 100% GENIUNE - BEING OF THE CORRECT PAPER & COLOUR, AND THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF MOVEMENT.  THERE IS ALSO CLEARLY NOTHING UNDERNEATH THE STICKER AND NOTHING IS BEING HIDDEN.  RUNNING YOUR FINGER OVER THE STICKER FINDS IT 100% FLAT & UNCREASED, AND THERE IS NO 'GLUE RESIDUE' OR OTHER INDICATIONS OF A 'RE-STICK'.  AND THOUGH YOU CAN NEVER BE 100% CERTAIN WITHOUT AN LPs FULL HISTORY, I AM VERY FIRMLY OF THE OPINION, THAT THE 'FACTORY SAMPLE' STICKERS HAVE BEEN ON THIS DOUBLE LP ALL OF ITS LIFE, AND ARE 100% GENIUNE IN EVERY RESPECT!

LOW NUMBER:-  This Double LP has a Low Number - being 0253331!  Putting this into context, there were 250,000 advance orders for this Double LP prior to its release!  And this Double LP is only 3000 copies outside of this.  And of course, MORE than 250,000 copies would have been made in advance so there would be sales stock on the day of release!  So there is no doubt AT ALL - that this would have been one of the EARLIEST EVER Mono 1st Pressings to have been made for 'Factory Sample' useage - well before the release date!  

COUNTRY:-  UK

MONO/STEREO:-  MONO

PRESSING:-  1ST PRESSING - Top Opening 'Garrod & Lofthouse' Gatefold FULLY Laminated NUMBERED Cover (with internal flipbacks), 2 Black Apple Inner Sleeves, Large Colour Poster, 4 Colour Prints, Dark Green Apple labels, and NO 'Sold In The UK' label text!  This Double LP also DOES have 'E.M.I. Recording' text on each label! 

ARTIST:-  THE BEATLES

TITLE:-  THE BEATLES (also known as 'THE WHITE ALBUM')

CAT NUMBER:-  PMC 7067/8

LABEL:-  APPLE

DATE:- 1968

MATRIXES:-  The records have standard 1st Press 2/1/1/1 MONO matrix endings (with the CORRECT 'XEX' Mono prefix!).  

SIGNS OF PLAY:-  BARELY ANY!

LABELS:-  NM - a SUPERB set of labels!

RECORDS GRADING:-   VG++++/VG++++ if not better (graded VERY strictly indeed, under a 150 watt bulb!).  This Double LP has a BRILLIANT set of records, still being VERY bright and shiny looking indeed - and having NO nasty concentric marks, only 2 or 3 TINY hairlines, only 2 or 3 MEGA light scufflines, and only a VERY few of the lightest paper scuffs only visible under light!  THE RECORDS STILL RETAIN THEIR ORIGINAL 'JUST PRESSED' LOOK AND SHINE LIKE NEW!!!!  The records play with NO skips, NO jumps, only a few VERY light clicks (though mostly NONE!), NO jumps, NO sticks, barely ANY crackle AT ALL, and only some VERY slight background sound on the run on grooves & gaps - NOT in the music AT ALL!  A very VERY nice set of records indeed, to which I have applied the VERY strictest gradings!

INNER:-  BOTH Black Apple inners are 100% GENIUNE 1st Press ORIGINALS (and NOT modern replacements!) and are both in very VERY nice condition indeed - with NO edge splits, NO centre hole splits, NO writing, and only some very VERY slight ruffling!  A BRILLIANT set of inners!

LARGE COLOUR POSTER:-  NO damage AT ALL - and folds out PERFECTLY!  Doesnt look to have ever been removed from the cover!               

4 COLOUR PRINTS:-  ALL are in FANTASTIC condition - with only a couple of grubby traces on the REVERSE of the prints. NO tack marks, NO pinholes, and NO other damage!

COVER:-   VG++ if not better!  A BRILLIANT conditioned cover - and very VERY hard to find like this now!  The cover has NO edge wear, NO spinal wear (apart from the usual touch of laminate loss on the foldline - but NO actual wear!), NO splits, only slight corner wear, only a few small creases on the spine, barely ANY creases elsewhere AT ALL (cover is VERY flat looking!), STUNNING shiny laminate, NO grubbyness, barely ANY yellowing AT ALL (virtually NONE!), only 1 TINY indentation on the cover back (this is barely visible!), NO rips, NO tears, and NO writing!  The (0253331) LOW NUMBER is still printed PERFECTLY with NO fading AT ALL!  The top opening edges are still beautifully straight with barely ANY feathering AT ALL!  And even the laminated inside of the cover is in BRILLIANT condition - with SUPERB flipbacks, STUNNING shiny 'mirror-like' laminate, barely ANY yellowing AT ALL (virtually NONE!), and NO writing!  A very VERY nice cover indeed - and very VERY strictly graded!    

--ooOOoo--

Though there are rarely ever any problems with my items (I always try my very best to describe everything exactly!) - PLEASE REMEMBER to contact with me FIRST, if you have any problems at all, before you leave feedback and star ratings, so I get a chance to turn any negative experience into a positive one!  I can always happily sort anything out for you, if you let me know you have a problem!  This way no one has to leave Negative/Neutral feedback - and we both walk away happy!  Please do NOT bid if you cannot give me at least 1 chance to sort everything out to your FULL satisfaction in the unlikely event of a problem.  Thanks again - Graham @ XXXRecords.