The Beatles' Second Album US Orig'69 (Capitol Record Club) / DECCA Contract

$

560

ORIGINAL CAPITOL RECORD CLUB ST-8-2080 LONGINES SYMPHONETTE SOCIETY ISSUE

THE BEATLES ~ THE BEATLES’ SECOND ALBUM (1969)

DECCA CONTRACT PRESSING, PINCKNEYVILLE, IL

INCREDIBLY RARE RECORD CLUB COVER VARIATION WITH THE “B LONGINES ST8-2080” CREDIT

UNIQUE RECORD CLUB COVER ONLY WITH 3 /// DIAGONAL STRIPES

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

In December, 1968 after Capitol sold the record club edition rights to Longines Symphonette Society, the company quit supplying albums to the club. Instead, Longines arranged for the manufacture of Capitol albums using cover artwork and label backdrops supplied by Capitol. It’s hard to explain why among all of the existing club issues, this issue of “The Beatles’ Second Album” is the rarest one. Without any exaggeration it’s really impossible to find. But if you’re lucky after all, then it will most likely be the issue with a later cover variation without the record club “ST8-2080” catalog number in the upper right-hand corner on the front, and most certainly, it won’t be the earliest cover with the “B Longines ST8-2080” vertically printed credit along the mouth at the top right corner on the front as seen on this currently listed copy's cover. This copy most likely is a very early circa early 1969 pressing which was manufactured right after the record club edition rights to the catalog of Capitol Records were transferred to Longines. As on all of the club issues, the top left corner of this copy’s cover contains 3 black diagonal /// hash marks that differentiate record club records from the commercial ones. Another typical characteristic of a record club cover is the absence of the “File Under” print and large dot in the upper right-hand corner, which on this copy’s cover were replaced with the unique record club only “ST8-2080” catalog number. The back cover doesn’t have the Longines’ factory designator number “16” in the lower right-hand corner. The number comes across quite often on this issue’s cover and the fact that it’s absent on this copy’s cover makes it even more unique and sought-after. Very early Longines green Capitol labels with a purple target logo contain a 1” pressing ring, record club “ST-8-2080” catalog number and “"Manufactured under license from Capitol Records, Inc., Hollywood and Vine Streets, Hollywood, California" rim text. Very early record club vinyl pressed at DECCA Records plant in Pinckneyville, IL as identified by the number “2” in the runout grooves on both sides. The full matrix numbers are as follows: Side 1 – ST 1 82080 W1 2 1 1 / Side 2 – ST 2 82080 W1 2. The album comes with the original record club plain white paper inner sleeve.

★

The cover is very clean and is graded as Excellent. The front cover has some very light age shelf wear along with a light discoloration along the mouth. The cover doesn't have any splits, tears, ring wear, writing or soiling. I grade the vinyl as Excellent Minus. It retains its beautiful factory gloss having only a few light non-feelable surface marks and hairlines. The Near Mint Minus labels are very clean and don't have any scuffs or wear. The vinyl sounds great only having some very light occasional static that can be heard at a loud volume during the quiet passages and which most likely, would get reduced or go away if the record was professionally cleaned using a VPI cleaning machine.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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