Beatles - Please Please Me - UK 1963 1st *GOLD* Label MONO Parlophone LP

	£		836
	$		1,108

THE BEATLES - 'PLEASE, PLEASE ME'
This UK 1st MONO pressing of their debut LP dates from initial March 1963 release on the GOLD & black Parlophone label: PMC 1202

Both labels are of the 1st variation type with 'Dick James Mus. Co.' publishing credits for tracks 1 & 2 on side 1 and 4 & 6 on side 2

The side 2 label has a groove 1cm inside the edge of the label, formed as a result of being pressed on an older-type pressing machine.

A 'ZT' purchase tax code is visible in the centre of the side 1 label.

Matrix numbers: XEX 421-1N & XEX 422-1N

Stamper codes: 1/O & 1/H

Vinyl weight: 171g

Housed within a correct-type front laminated, tri-flipback 'Ernest J. Day' printed mono cover (with the 'Angus McBean' credit positioned in the extreme lower right corner) & complete with its original poly-lined inner-sleeve.

CONDITION

Disc

Labels: EXCELLENT +

An exceptionally clean & unblemished set with no damage or wear to any of the delicate gold lettering. As you can see from the above images, apart from a touch of wear to each centre hole, there is little to fault on either.

Visual: VERY GOOD

Both playing surfaces are very  clean & retain a good deal of their factory gloss, albeit with slight groove-whitening on the innermost tracks. This disc would have easily graded 'VG+' if it were not for the presence of a moderate 8 cm scratch on side 1. This runs across all tracks directly from the run-in until just inside the run-out -  the end of it can be seen in the image of the side 1 matrix number. Some parts of it are feelable beneath my fingertips but it is not all the same depth. In fact, I would classify it as a heavy scuff rather than a scratch. Apart from that, the only other visual blemishes in strong daylight are a light turntable scuff on side 2 along with a few harmless hairlines. Closer inspection directly beneath my powerful halogen desk lamp adds little more than some wispy paper hairlines & a sparkling rainbow shine.

Sound Quality: VERY GOOD

This disc has received a fair amount of play but is without any major deterioration to the overall sound quality. My single careful play-check at volume detected some mild intermittent background along with a touch of playwear on the innermost tracks on both sides. The aforementioned mark was barely noticeable and caused only a few soft clicks in some of the bands between tracks. There are no jumps, repeats or any other major audible distractions anywhere on this early disc.

Cover: VERY GOOD

A respectable example of this 50 year-old cover which bears light to moderate handling & storagewear but no major faults.

The front panel is clean & unscratched and without any 'thumbnail' or heavy creasing. there are a few faint wrinkles around the edges and some light wear to the corners but both opening edges are undamaged.

The rear panel is starting to shows its age with a few small stains and handling marks along with faint numbers written in pencil aside the track listing and the original purchase price ('30/11) - thirty shillings and eleven pence) written in blue ink in the upper left corner. There is a small section of missing paper to the lower right flipback corner but everything else is fully intact.

Both seams are unstressed and unsplit and the spine is fully laminated with complete unworn text.

Inner-sleeve: VERY GOOD +

Some general storage wrinkling but no writing, tears or missing paper.

• This item is located in and will be shipped from AUSTRIA. Tracked airmail postage to UK addresses will be 12 GBP**

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