Rolling Stones Exile on Main St UK 1st Pressing FINAL UPGRADE Artisan MINT 1972

	£		108
	$		143

I sell vinyl records with complete honesty and reliability. Above all things I am a record collector and music lover. I only sell records that I would want to receive. I know well the disappointment of receiving an over-graded record that turns up two weeks late. That is not the service you will receive here, so bid with total confidence. I don’t sell a lot of records because I spend a lot of time carefully finding, grading and listing them and do not like to rush this process, as many sellers must do to be able to sell 100 records a week!


I am mostly a collector of old time music, pre-war blues and folk, so buy job-lots that often contain rare records that aren’t to my taste so to eBay they go!

(On that note, if you have any early American blues or folk ((vinyl or shellac)) to swap or sell, please get in touch!)

I have only 20 records left to sell and these are my true gems. They came to me from a nuclear engineer who played them once to record to cassette, wrapped them outside of their sleeves and filed them away. They are, without a doubt, the most pristine records I have come across and I would hasten a guess the best in existence for most. Please keep watching if you want a chance of getting hold of some incredibly rare, museum quality vinyl.


Anyway, enough of the chit chat and on to the record at hand…

The Rolling Stones

Exile on Main Street

12th May 1972

UK 1st Pressing

COC 69100

Rolling Stones Records

Stereo

Here we have what most be one of the most pristine example of the Stones seminal record Exile on Main Street in existence. This is a record that often turns up played to death, always battered but this very first pressing is in stunning condition throughout.

A true UK 1st pressing that is denoted by the following criteria:

·         Box Gatefold Sleeve with reverse stating "Rolling Stones Records TM Musidor N.V. Distributed by Kinney Record Group Ltd (p) 1972" followed by, in a smaller font: "by Shorewood Packaging Co. Ltd. ENGLAND" (Quickly amended with all later pressings having no such address.

·         No mention of Promotone on any of the labels

·         The Artisan mastering symbol present in the deadwax on all four sides

·         12 black and white postcards with black and white text.

·         Rare Clout and Baker printed sleeve (Quickly changed- With all later pressings, even 1st pressings, being Robert Stace)

Finding a true UK 1st press with the earliest criteria is always a hard find, but one in such pristine condition an utter rarity!

This is your final upgrade!

Matrix Numbers

Matrix / Runout (Run-out Side A): COC 69100 A1

Matrix / Runout (Run-out Side B): COC 69100 B1

Matrix / Runout (Run-out Side C): COC 90100 C2

Matrix / Runout (Run-out Side D): COC 69100 D2

The deadwax of each side also contains the hand etched text:

ROLLING STONES RECORDS ST-RS-7225.07

[Followed by the hand etched Artisan Logo].

Stampers

Side 1:            B         4

Side 2:            A         2  7

Side 3:            B         3

Side 4:            A         2

Sleeve Condition.

The 1st press iconic sleeve is simply perfect. It looks as new!

The boxed effect to the sleeve is always flattened but not here, it stands tall and straight. The bottom and top sides are pristine, sharp and without ANY shelf wear with only the very mildest of corner wear. The spine is perfectly straight, without a single sign of any wear, rubbing or aging..

The front is beautiful, with all colours still vibrant and fresh with no thumb creases, laminate lift or cracks.

The rear is as good as the rest, sharp and without a single rip, tear or smudge. Not even a sign of mild ringwear, as is the inside of the gatefold. Just mint!

All in all, a true 1st pressing in museum archive quality!

You won’t find a better example! A Minty Final Upgrade!

Nr MINT

Inner Sleeve Condition.

The first press picture card inner sleeves are in perfect condition. There are no rips, tears or splits. There are two small catalogue stickers in top right that could be removed but I dont dare! There is no foxing, writing or stains and it holds the vinyl perfectly as they should. Sharp, straight, clean and perfect!

Nr Mint

Extras Condition.

The first press 12 postcard extras are as new! Not a sign of age whatsoever. They are all still attached and strong with no bending at all and I don’t think they have barely left their home in the past 40 years!

Mint

Label Condition.

The first press yellow iconic labels are simply perfect. There are no rips, wear or writing at all.  There is no centre hole damage at all. Under a strong halogen I can see only the mildest of ghost spindles but not really any sign of change from day 1!. There are no names or initials.

Near Mint

Vinyl Visual Condition.

The record itself looks perfect on eye inspection!  It still retains its factory shine and lustre and looks as new. You really can distinguish between a Nr mint and Excellent grading, only when holding a true near mint record that just radiates perfection!  Under a strong halogen, there is barely any sign of use at all. 

Just the lightest of removal ghosts to be seen behind the rainbowed lustre! Not a hairline in sight bar a whispy removal on side B that has no playback at all and is barely visible! Possible played once before I reviewed it!

Nr MINT

Vinyl Audio Condition.

The record sounds truly amazing from start to finish!  The songs just jump off the record with no distortion, clicks, pops or skipping at all. It is an audiophiles dream on all frequencies. 

I’m so used to listening to this record through slight distortion and dust crackle, but this record sounds sublime with all the dynamics of the band clearly distinguishable. You won’t hear it any better! 

This is most probably the most perfect copy in existence!

Nr MINT

So there we have it. An absolutely mint example of the earliest of earliest 1st presses you can get of Exile on Main St with the rarest of 1st pressed sleeves.

A Once in a Lifetime Record for Real Collectors!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Happy Bidding!

All my records are sent first class, tracked and signed for. Where insurance is needed, the cost will be covered by myself. I will endeavour to post all records a day after payment is made.

Records will be sent in defenda-box mailers which are strong corrugate cardboard boxes ensuring that no bending can take place. They are in essence bomb proof!

Records will be sent housed in new poly-lined inners outside of the sleeve to protect both the sleeve and original inner

I hand clean records with Clear groove and a microfiber cloth, however, if you use your own system or machine and would prefer I didn’t, then please ask.

In the unlikely case you have reason to disagree with my grading, then do not hesitate to get in touch for a no quibble full refund, although I do ask that return postage is covered by the buyer.