The Beatles White Album. Low No 0111144. Top Opening. Mono. 1st Press.
£
50
$
66
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Description
The Beatles - White Album
First Press Top Opening
MONO
Rare Low Numbered Sleeve - 0111144
(Apple PMC 7067/8 UK Double LP 1968)
Matrcies: XEX 709-1, XEX 710-1, XEX 711-1 XEX 712-1
This is an original low numbered First Press example of a rare Top Opening UK MONO pressing, with low Mothers & Stampers!
It has a fully laminated and short lived 'Wide-Spine' Garod & Lofthouse top-opening, gatefold sleeve. The spine is the unusal and rare 7mm width, which was to house the two heavy-weight EMI vinyl LP's and enclosures. It wasn't long after the first pressings that both the Top Opening and the 'Wide Spine' were replaced with side opening, less wide spines, which is just another reason why these are rare and collectable, especially with a low and unusual No: 0111144.
It comes with its original EMI plain black inner sleeves, which have been sympathetically repaired, due to the obvious issues with putting heavy vinyl into a top-loading sleeve, namely cut-out tears downwards! The way to fix is from within the sleeve, using thin, black, paper-ribbons, not sellotape. This has been done and all is well!
The records are pressed on 60's thick & heavy EMI viny. They have the dark green Apple labels, as per all of the First Press Mono releases. The records have the First Press "Sold In The UK subject to re-sale prices..." text on labels, which vanished in later pressings and all four sides have 'Mft. in the U.K.', to the left of the labels. Sides One & Two, don't have EMI, with Side Three & Four having 'An EMI Recording' under the small 33 1/3, to the left on those labels, which was common with First Press Mono.
The matrix numbers are the First Press matrices, associated with The White Album of 1968, being: XEX 709-1, XEX 710-1, XEX 711-1 & XEX 712-1. The Mother & Stampers are LOW: Side One '3' & 'GMD' or '140', with a very rare 'error' of the Stamper being placed on the wrong side, next to the Mother and then, very unusually, hand-crossed through and placed on the correct side, at 9 o'clock; not 3 o'clock! Side Two's Mother is '5' & Stamper 'GRT' or '129', Side Three '2' & 'GM' or '14' and Side Four '1' & 'G' or '1', which is amazing in itself!
The Gatefold Top Opening Garod & Lofthouse Sleeve is generally un-damaged, with nothing bad and still holds its shape. The rare 'Wide Spine' is unusual to find and despite a little sagging, with some crinkling of the laminate, it still displays its unusual width. There is no biro or ink anywhere (names or initials), which applies to the labels, too and unusually there is little visible or obvious spindle wear, just odd rubs where the spindle has been located.
The record does not have the photos or poster, which have long gone, but these are obtainable, what it does have is a unique, low number and the top opening sleeve, with beautiful and rare Mono reproduction!
Grading is, obviously, subjective and I try to be totally honest in what I see and indeed hear. This album is a nice, wholly original and genuine example of a Mono top opening, low numbered White Album from 1968, which has been played and obviously loved, but still presents itself well. The vinyl is in original condition and has been played, with odd surface marks, some scuffs and one or two scratches here and there on the vinyl, but with some sides being mark-free. I would say that the records grade as VG to VG+ condition, with reference to the Record Collector and Goldmine guides, but it is hard to be precise, as the VG grading is open to interpretation! So possibly VG with a possible + ?!
Since the starting price is high and demand for this record is high, please bear this in mind: Postage quoted, using the Ebay tab, is for £4.50 ONLY up to £46.00 in value. This is set above that and due to Royal Mail's cover from £46.00 to £500, it MUST be posted Special Delivery, due to its value. There is no Second Class Recorded or even First Class Recorded for this value and the cost, due to both its weight and value, is £7.55. This is Royal Mail's cost and does not include the mailer, so you will only pay what I have to pay. Please bear all of that in mind, as there seems to be some confusion about value & postage. If in doubt, please check with Ebay.
Sales in and to the UK only.
Thanks!
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