THE BEATLES - A HARD DAY'S NIGHT 12" *1st PRESS with FLIER* UK '64 PMC 1230 EX

	£		32
	$		42

THE BEATLES - A HARD DAY'S NIGHT original 1964 MONO 1st pressing on UK Parlophone, PMC 1230
The record and sleeve are in excellent condition but what makes this item more special is the even rarer original Parlophone/EMI advertisement flier which accompanied just some of Parlophone's records during this period, the vast majority of which were binned! the flier itself (now 50 years old!) is in remarkably good condition as my photos testify. No tears or unwanted writing with just a little minimal creasing and some faint signs of "browning" discolouration through ageing, but nothing to undermine the overall excellent appearance of both sides of this incredibly rare and important artefact. A real gem for any serious 60's record collector, especially Beatles collectors.
Right, back to the record...
This is a true first pressing with dead wax matrices : Side 1 - XEX 481 - 3N, with stampers "3" (or "5" - difficult to make out) and "T 0" at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock respectively; Side 2 - XEX 482 - 3N, with stampers "5" and "G G P" at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock respectively. 
The label text "PARLOPHONE CO. LTD" and "SOLD IN THE UK" (positioned on the label rim and underneath the yellow "PARLOPHONE" respectively) are both present on each label, the embossed "K T" tax code is present on the side 1 label adjacent to the center hole, and the song title text is in a slightly thicker font than later pressings : all indicators of a true first pressing. 
The condition of the vinyl (both sides) is EXCELLENT : both sides of the vinyl have retained virtually all of their original sheen...beautiful!  The vinyl is flat with absolutely no warping, and there are no scratches and certainly no nasty scuffs. The usual check under a bright halogen light reveals a few very light, and strictly surface only, hairlines and on side 1 very close inspection identified 4 pencil thin scuffs - you really wouldn't notice these under "normal" daylight conditions. 
TRACK LISTING: Side 1 :  A HARD DAY'S NIGHT I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER IF I FELL I'M HAPPY JUST TO DANCE WITH YOU AND I LOVE HER TELL ME WHY CAN'T BUY ME LOVE
Side 2 : ANY TIME AT ALL I'LL CRY INSTEAD THINGS WE SAID TODAY WHEN I GET HOME YOU CAN'T DO THAT I'LL BE BACK
The quality of the audio is again EXCELLENT : just sit back and listen in awe at these very early Beatles classics in brilliant MONO. Apart from the very occasional hint of static, virtually flawless : no clicks, no skips, no pops, no hiss, no crackle...just great, great audio!
As the photos testify, the labels are EXCELLENT with all print totally legible and the original silver lettered colouring still fully intact. The photos probably don't do the excellent condition of each label justice, with the only blemish being a few short, faint spindle trails on each side and immediately adjacent to the center hole.
Comes in original Parlophone Garrod & Lofthouse outer sleeve which is in EXCELLENT- condition, fully laminated on side 1 with reverse side flipbacks. The front side has retained all of it's original colour vibrancy with the edges each still well defined and rigid. There is a little laminate creasing towards the spine but no scuffing along the edges, apart from a "nick" on the spine about 1cm from the top.The bottom right hand corner is also scuffed. Towards the bottom edge (still on the front side) there are a number of small, but noticeable (see photos) surface scuffs. These detract only slightly from the overall excellent appearance of the front side. The reverse side is in overall excellent condition with each flipback in perfect functioning order; there is a hint of some mild ageing discolouration towards the opening side and the bottom flipback has a number of small score marks towards the centre.  I'm thinking right now that I'm giving the impression that the condition of this outer sleeve is not good at all - nothing could be further from the truth...I just want to be totally honest and point out all of the inevitable blemishes of a 50 year old record sleeve of this nature, but rest assured that the overall condition is EXCELLENT- and I hope that the photos support that view.
Comes in original "EMITEX" polythene lined inner sleeve which, aprt from some slight creasing towards the bottom corners, is in excellent condition and obviously fully functional.
Great condition vinyl, lovely sleeve with excellent labels, brilliant MONO audio, and the 1964 Parlophone advertising flier really is the icing on the cake. Possibly a "one-off" package that can only become even scarcer but always highly sought after.
A bit about myself - I have been collecting vinyl for over 46 years and have amassed a huge and diverse record collection. I am now selling a number of my cherished records in order to help fund my retirement and to optimise space although, in all honesty, I view the daily sift through and playing of these timeless classics as a labour of love. Take a look at my other ebay items - many of the records that I am selling are highly sought after by serious collectors. You should also be aware of my 100% feedback status and can feel rest assured that in the unlikely event that you are unhappy with your purchase for any reason then just contact me and I will do a full refund without quibble. Enjoy your purchase - Richard

A NOTE ON POSTAGE : All records are posted in proper, secure record mailing envelopes with a cardboard stiffener on each side of the record, which itself is placed outside of the record cover in order to minimise the risk of edge damage during postage transit. As a consequence I have NEVER had a complaint from any buyer relating to record damage during postage. P&P costs are £3.00 for the UK, £5.00 for Europe, and £7.00 for the rest of the world. Note that for any item selling for more than £30 then registered, "signed for" postage is required, which will incur an extra P&P cost of between £3.00 and £6.00, dependent upon location. If in any doubt then just email me before you bid. PLEASE - DO NOT PAY BEFORE I INVOICE YOU. I do not profit from postage costs - my aim is purely to ensure that your purchase reaches it's destination in a secure, undamaged, timely and cost effective manner.

My record grading adheres to the “Record Collector” guide, which has established a set of standards for the condition of second-hand records. These indicate the amount of wear and tear the disc, sleeve, and other items (such as lyric inserts) have been subject to and the condition that they are in at present. The seven standard condition categories, and descriptions of what each one means, are listed below:

Mint

The records itself is in brand new condition with no surface marks or deterioration in sound quality. The cover and any extra items, such as the lyric sheet, booklet or poster are in perfect condition. Records advertised as Sealed or Unplayed should be Mint.

Excellent

The record shows some signs of having been played, but there is very little lessening in sound quality. The cover and packaging might have slight wear and /or creasing.

Very Good

The record has obviously been played many times, but displays no major deterioration in sound quality, despite noticeable surface marks and the occasional light scratch. Normal wear and tear on the cover or extra items, without any major defects, is acceptable.

Good

The record has been played so much that the sound quality has noticeably deteriorated, perhaps with some distortion and mild scratches. The cover and contents suffer from folding, scuffing of edges, spine splits, discolouration, etc.

Fair

The record is still just playable but has not been cared for properly and displays considerable surface noise; it may even jump. The cover and contents are torn, stained and/or defaced

Poor

The record will not play properly due to scratches, bad surface noise, etc. The cover and contents are badly damaged or partly missing.

Bad

The record is unplayable or might even be broken, and is only of use as a collection-filler