PINK FLOYD Dark side of the moon. A2/B2 1st UK press with 1/R mother stamper WOW

	£		1,019
	$		1,350

An incredibly rare opportunity to purchase and own a UK first pressing of this superb album. The word "rare" is used far too often for no real reason. This is different. The brilliant website "Pink Floyd Archives discography" compiled by the king of Floyd facts and information, Vernon Fitch, states all of the known and logged matrix/mother/stamper combinations of all the bands releases worldwide. Check out the UK section on his website for first UK pressings. It shows the earliest documented combination is A2 / B2. 1G / 1G. The 2nd earliest recorded is A2 / B2. 1R / 3AL. This is THAT copy. The 2nd earliest ever recorded. Proof is below, copied straight from that website.
Title: The Dark Side of the Moon (Harvest Records 1st issue)
Record Company: Harvest Records
Catalog Number: SHVL 804
Matrix Information: (side 1 / side 2)
A-2 / B-2:
  1) SHVL 804 A-2 G 1 / SHVL 804 B-2 G 1 (both stamped)
  2) SHVL 804 A-2 R 1 / SHVL 804 B-2 AL 3 (both stamped)
  3) SHVL 804 A-2 R 1 / SHVL 804 B-2 OD 2 (both stamped)
  4) SHVL 804 A-2 A 1 / SHVL 804 B-2 RA 1 (both stamped) [FO2, 130g]
  5) SHVL 804 A-2 M 1 / SHVL 804 B-2 H 2 (both stamped) [FC1, FO3, P2, S1]

Not only that, but it also has the earliest blue tinted cover, matte posters on heavy paper and the stickers with "permanent" in red type to the rear. This pressing is roughly between the 400th to 800th ever pressed. Amazing when you consider how many millions have been pressed. Please read on for full details and play-grading.

For sale here is a super copy of Pink Floyds iconic "Dark side of the moon" album. Comes with all the attributes of an original first UK pressing. Blue tinted gatefold cover, sealed at left hand side. Solid blue triangle on the labels. Matrices are A2 and B2. Black poly lined inner sleeve with silver text. Both posters printed on heavier matte paper. Both postcard/stickers with "permanent" in red type to the rear.

Suffice to say that these UK 1st presses appear quite regularly on eBay, and are not quite as "rare" as some people like to claim! What is very unusual to find, is a copy with the vinyl in exceptional condition like this copy. The only real signs of it being played are a handful of spindle marks to each label and a couple of insignificant small marks.

The cover:                  Original and genuine blue tint to the cover. Very different to the black covers of later issues. (photo 18 shows the cover next to a later issue jet black one). Left hand side is sealed. There is NO wear to the spine at all. There is NO wear to the top edges at all. Aside of some colour loss at the bottom corners, there is NO shelf-wear at all. The front, inside and rear are superb. No marks or damage worthy of note. This is a truly stunning example. Conservative grading is a healthy Ex+.

Inner sleeve:                      Nice example of this delicate inner. Has the grey printed patent and made in Great Britain text. There is NO damage worthy of mention. No slits or marks. Barely a ripple in the paper and the poly lining is fully intact. This example is truly as good as it gets. I grade the inner sleeve as a strong Ex+.
Posters:             Both posters are present. Both are in super condition with just the fold marks present. No pin holes. No blue tack. No splits, rips, tears or issues. The band poster is printed on very heavy matte paper, as the very earliest examples are. Not high gloss as later copies are. The pyramid poster is on a semi-matte paper. Much less glossy than later examples. I grade both posters as Ex.
Postcard/stickers:                              Both postcards are present. Both unused. No pin holes, sticky tape, blue tack. The print on the reverse is the earliest example and only found on some pressings up to A3 / B3 only, which is the word "permanent" in red type. The brown one is pretty perfect. The yellow one has a crease from being caught in the gatefold cover I grade these at Ex+ and VG+ at least, only due to creasing.
The labels:                  The iconic solid blue prism labels are in good shape. There are a small number of spindle trails to both sides. No rips or stains. To be safe because of the spindle marks..... I grade the labels as VG+.
The vinyl:                Really the vinyl is the cherry on top of this copy.  This copy, as already mentioned, is the 2nd earliest ever recorded. Pressed from the first mother and just the second stamper, "R".  As a visual grading I would have to give an excellent. The only thing taking that grade down visually is a couple of (totally non-sounding) marks the size of a match head on side one and a mark on "Money" on side 2 that also has no impact at all on the superb audio. Aside of these comments, the vinyl gleams like a mirror. A lovely rich, deep black lustre.
The play grading makes good reading.  On my first playing of side one, my stylus was having the odd blip with tracking. As my stylus is weighted at the lower end of Audio Technica's recommended weight, I adjusted it the the upper end of the recommended weight, and bingo! The album totally came alive. The detail is outstanding. The bass lines are strong and so clear. I have heard many many A2 / B2 copies. Never have I been so lucky as to hear a 1/G pressing. Now I have enjoyed the very next best thing, and it blows every copy I have ever heard clear out of the water. Side one, with its quiet heartbeat start, begins really well and quietly. The side plays with great clarity through the first 3 tracks, no issues. As track 3 draws to a close, there is one single dust "pop". This should either clean out or play out in my experience. The segue into "Time" is excellent. Really quiet. The rest of the side plays with unbelievable power and detail, but just as important, almost totally silently. Side two starts really well and NO factory pressed skip on "Money". The whole side plays without fault. A seriously superb sounding album from start to finish. The play grading reveals no issues. I grade as a solid Ex+. This is my highest grade for an album that is not brand new and sealed.
As a complete and original first UK pressing with the A2 and B2 matrix numbers, correct earliest blue tinged cover, both earliest posters and earliest stickers, I really have to grade overall as excellent plus. Somebody is going to be very happy!!
I will post overseas, although I have had issues in the past and will not post to Russia, Belarus or Ukraine. If you have a feedback score of less than 20, please contact me before bidding. I have listed the price for UK postage only. As a rough guide, postage within the EU is about £16, tracked and signed for. Outside of the EU, postage is around £25, tracked and signed for. I will refund any excess paid immediately once I have weighed the packaged items. I DO NOT make anything on the postage. I charge the exact cost (often less) that I pay. I DO NOT charge for packing materials and I try to use recycled packing anyway.  I also dress all my albums in a brand new heavyweight plastic cover and a brand new anti-static inner sleeve. All vinyl is packed outside of the cover and 2 stiffeners are used in transit. I have sold many valuable vinyls over the years and am often credited with Fort Knox style packing. Please bid with peace of mind that what you see is what you get.
If you have any questions, or require extra photos, please just ask. Album will be posted same day I receive the funds if early enough, or at worst the next day.