The Beatles: "Please Please Me" LP. Gold / black Parlophone. First pressing 1963

	£		310
	$		411

The Beatles: Please Please Me

Gold/black Parlophone; PMC 1202, 1963. First pressing.

If you have searched specifically for a copy of this album, you will know that Please Please Me was the Beatles debut album and that, by sheer chance, the first copies were pressed at a time that Parlophone was changing its label design from the gold lettering on a black background that you see here, to a more modern label design, with a new logo and the text printed in silver. The old label design was used only for a relatively small number of copies and has become a clear marker of the earliest ever Beatles release.

This is an entirely original mono example of the record in its original inner and outer sleeves. The first thing to be very clear about though, is that the condition of the record is no better than fair. The playing surface is pretty heavily marked and it doesn't look too good at all at first sight. As it happens though, almost all the marks are surface marks only and the record plays all the way through with no skips or jumps, and not even any clicks. As most people will know, practically all the music on the album is loud and raucous so, although there is of course crackling in the gaps between the tracks, in the odd quiet moment in the music, and in the run-in and runout grooves, the sound quality is surprisingly good. That’s the beauty of records from this period, which were generally pressed in heavy duty vinyl with deep grooves – they can take a lot of punishment and still deliver a decent sound.

I’ve included lots of hi-res images so that you can make an accurate judgement about the condition of the labels and the sleeves. The labels are nice and clean. The lettering is also still bright – it is sometimes the case with these albums that the gold lettering fades. As you can see, the label has the Dick James publisher credits.

The outer sleeve is rather bumped around at the corners. I have very good craft skills and I have done a little bit of repair to the “flipbacks” at two of the corners and to a short section under the words “Long play 331/3 r.p.m.” at the bottom of the rear of the sleeve. In all these places, the flap had come partially unstuck. These repairs are all visible on the images. Additionally, there was a short split to the sleeve about 2 ½ inches long at the bottom right hand corner, where the “Angus McBean” photo credit is. I have repaired that split properly, from the inside, with card, so it will not split again.

The inner sleeve is inevitably rather creased and it has some slight tea or coffee staining to one side. I’ve included images of both sides above.

The record has all the correct points of a first pressing including the correct matrix numbers: XEX 421-1N and XEX 422-1N. It has the embossed tax code letters “M” and “T” to either side of the spindle hole on side 2. It has the mother / stamper numbers “1 – G” and “1 – R” to the runout grooves on side one and side two respectively. (I have included an image of the “G” above.)  In researching the details of this album, I found the claim on a couple of Beatles collector sites that these particular stamper codes indicate the earliest pressings of all but I’m not sure whether that is correct or not - as far as I can see, looking online, all black/gold label pressings have these codes. The sleeve has the “Printed and made by Ernest J. Day and Co. London” markings at bottom right at the back (see image). If you want to know any other detail about the album please message me.

I am starting the bidding at what I think is reasonable price that takes into account that this is not the finest copy of this album that you will see.

UK Postage and packing:  £4.00

International postage and packing:  Postage charges to international destinations are given below.

All postage prices quoted (UK and international) are maximum charges.  If postage and packing costs less than these estimates, I will refund the difference after posting (subject to the difference being £1.00 or more. Unless otherwise indicated, the postage prices I give in the listing are for a tracked and signed-for service, as required by eBay. If however, winning buyers would prefer cheaper options, I am always happy to help with that if I can. Please contact me for a quote.

I hope this description has given you enough to go on but should you require any further information, or more images, please do e-mail.  Please also look carefully at the hi-res photos – they are part of the description.  Thanks for your interest in this auction and good luck if you decide to bid.

Please note:  I will not respond to requests to close the auction early regardless of the value of the offer made.  Ending early is contrary to both the principle and spirit of an auction. It is also unfair to other eBayers who may be watching the auction intending to bid at a later time.

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