Emerson, Lake and Palmer Self-Titled First Album; Rare White Label Promo Mono

$

195

Hello, I am a long-time eBay seller - since October, 1999.  I have a 100% feedback record, so bid and buy with confidence.  I have collected records for many years and every record I offer comes from my personal collection.  The grade I specify for the vinyl is based upon a playback as well as a visual inspection.  The grade I assign for the cover and inserts (if any) is based upon a close visual inspection.  
For sale today is an excellent copy of Emerson, Lake and Palmer's first album, self-ttitled Emerson, Lake and Palmer (aka ELP) on the Cotillion label.  This album was issued in 1970 in the extremely rare white label promo MONO format.  Mono records were essentially extinct by 1970, although Atlantic, and its subsidiary Cotillion, continued to master them in minuscule quantities into early 1973 for play on AM radio stations.  The album offered here was never commercially available in the mono format.   
Before I provide my grade for the vinyl, I must note that the buyer should understand that white label mono promos were sent to AM radio stations for play at their stations.  The disc jockeys back then were not overly concerned about preserving the albums for posterity - they simply played the selected tracks and stored the records without special care or handling.  As such, in my 20+ experience buying and selling white label mono promo albums, visually pristine, unmarked or un-scuffed records simply do not exist.  From a visual aspect, these albums almost always fall in the VG to VG++ category.  Indeed, I have collected white label mono promos for over 20 years and have never seen such an album from the late 1960s to early 1970s where I would visually grade the vinyl as NM.  However, as to sound quality, again in my 20+ years of experience, Atlantic and its subsidiary Cotillion white label mono promos often sound much better than they look, likely because they were pressed on high-grade, heavy vinyl.  With this in mind, I grade this Emerson, Lake and Palmer mono promo album as follows.   The vinyl conservatively looks VG++.  It lies flat, and retains much of its original sheen and shine, with just a few minor lines or marks (not scratches). The white labels are in NM condition - clean, white, no writing, with just a couple of wispy spindle marks.  From a visual aspect, this album is definitely in the upper tier of late 60s/early 70s mono promos in existence.
As to sound quality, the vinyl plays Near Mint (some would say Mint).  No sticks, skips, maybe just one or two ticks or pops (actually, I have never heard a pop or tick when I've played it but I'll say it has one or two just to be on the safe side for the most critical buyer).  Simply stated, it sounds great!   
The outer cover is in VG+ condition.  Colors are full and vibrant, front and back.  Three of the four corners are sharp and square.  The fourth corner (lower left if looking at front cover) has a very slight "push" or crinkle.  The spine is full and complete, no tears.  No splits to any of the cover seams.  However, there is some light ring wear, both front and back (see photos), as well as light wear to all four cover corners.  The cover has two promo stickers.  Both promo stickers have wear but overall are in good shape.  I note for completeness that the second promo sticker with suggested songs titles has two words handwritten in light ink (see photo) and its left side is just beginning to peel (but it is still firmly attached).     
The original inner sleeve is flat and crisp and fully intact, no tears or splits, grading Near Mint.   
Since I purchased this album, I have stored the vinyl in an archival inner sleeve, which I then placed in a separate white generic cardboard cover to best protect both the vinyl as well as the original outer sleeve (see photo).  Both the archival inner sleeve and the generic white outer cover will be included with the purchase and the record will be shipped in the generic sleeve to best protect the original outer cover as well as the vinyl.   I have also stored the original album cover in a separate outer plastic sleeve to protect it and the cover will be shipped in the plastic sleeve as well.
All in all, offered here is a wonderful example of this great album by Emerson, Lake and Palmer in the extremely rare mono promo format!  Thanks for looking.